


Two Sugars, Please.

by YummyMeatBun



Series: Coffee, Please. [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Anal Sex, Boys Being Boys, Boys In Love, Coffee, Cute, Disney References, F/F, F/M, First Time, M/M, Muffins, My First Fanfic, Oral Sex, POV Marco Bott, Papa acting!Marco, Rating for later chapters, Slow Build, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Total softie!Jean, Yaoi, buttstuffs, other ships soon to come, tons of fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-21 10:26:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 32,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4825535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YummyMeatBun/pseuds/YummyMeatBun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oh a summery! Nice. Very well then! My name is Marco Bodt. No that's a lame way to start...Oh well. I'm Marco I'm in my second year of collage. This year could have started off better. Soon after the school year started my older sister and her husband died in a car crash. I was made the guardian of her daughter Ymir. Age 7. I was not ready. I did not realize I would start a fight(me Marco the nice guy), fall in love with an asshole (convince my friends to do the same), have the future told by a chip bag, drink a lot of coffee, and end up right where I needed to be. Home. So please join me for a cup of coffee, I'll tell you the whole story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Expresso

October 16th Friday, 6: 05am

“Oh, gosh so cold,” I yelp a little bit as I open the door from the dorm building, the morning chill hitting me.  
“Godspeed, our freckled savior! Watch out for bad people and good luck on your tests today, Love!” yodeled Hanji our dorm supervisor, with a flourish of sass. They were always here in case anyone needed anything. I’ve lived here for almost a year and a half and I’m still not sure if Hanji is a boy or girl. Don’t get me wrong it doesn’t matter but it would be nice to be able to reply ‘no mam, or no sir’. It’s far more polite and it’s just awkward to address Hanji as well…. Hanji. I wave meekly back as I grip my jacket tighter and step down the stairs out front. I glance up the side of Survey building (our dorm building) as I reach the street, I see a small freckled face peeking between the rails of my personal dorm room balcony, covered in a fuzzy gray blanket. I lift a hand once more and blow a quick kiss to her. She flushes a deep red that almost drowns out her sweet freckles, and she dashes inside. Breathing into my hands to warm them, I turn around and cross the small street. Poor Yams, she’s not running a fever or getting sick anymore, but I’m not sure how long kids are contagious. I might have to call Annie again; she’s doing her internship as a nurse having completed her schooling. Yams is still snuffling, snotty, and coughing a bit. I panicked the other day when she woke up puking. I run a hand over my forehead as I pull out my phone, I shoot a quick message to Annie to check in on Yams once she finishes her shift at 6:30. Yams may be 7 ½, but she’s still too young to be left alone. I’m almost halfway to class, when I start to feel a bit panicky and glance back towards the dorm. What if she gets sick again? Or has a nightmare? I’m not a parent and I don’t feel like I’m ready to take care of a child even after a few months of taking care of yams. Yams or Ymir (as that’s her name, we all just call her yams.) is my older sister Mina's daughter. Her and her husband Thomas died in a car crash just a week after the start of this year. At 21 I’m now a parent, if my sister Mina hadn’t mentioned that “I’m not to quit school” in her will and “if anything happens to us while you’re enrolled, as you have a scholarship you cannot waste it!” I would have quit, I don’t have a place of my own so Yams has to stay with me in the dorm. Which is against all kinds of rules, but Hanji pretends not to notice. I jump a little startled as my phone beeps pulling me from dark thoughts. Annie messaged me back ‘K’, was all she wrote. I smile a little bit and reach the main door to the school building. I do a quick walk to the classroom and pick a seat by the ancient heater near the front. As Class isn’t until 6: 30am and it’s only…I check my phone, 6: 20am. I still have time, so I shiver trying to regain some warmth and pull out my notes, studying a bit more before class starts. I don’t even notice as Professor Levi shuffles in smothered in scarves.  
“Alright you brats! Put your notes away no more last minutes! If you haven’t studied yet you’re going to fail!” he barks out, pulling out the test forms and slamming them on his desk. I jump and put away my neatly organized notes, sharing a smile with another student as she did the same.

 

^^^^^

 

Finishing the “Corporal’s” test, I smile at the professor as I pass him my test form and answer booklet. He glares up at me, I don’t mean to tower over people I really can’t help it that I’m tall.  
“Keeeep moving freckles, being a saint won’t improve your already written answers.” He rolls his eyes at me as I lower my eyes meekly. Professor Levi is always angry, but it’s best not to upset him more.  
“You already do well enough on the tests anyway” he growls at me as I duck out the door. I do believe he aims to fail his students, and I keep slipping thru by the skin of my teeth. I nod and shrug at a few scared students as they wait outside his door for their class to start. I check the time, 7:45am. I pullout my phone and call the dorm phone, Annie answers.  
“3” she states.  
“Hey, Annie how’s is going? Was your shift ok?” I inquire softly of her as I imagine her blank look at my manners. She knows I want to ask about Yams first but I’m polite to a fault and courtesy comes before panicked “daddy” questions. I had asked a favor of her after her intern shift at the hospital was over. I felt bad about it, like I was using her to get free medical checkup on Ymir, because she was a nursing student and would actually be able to tell me if yams was going to be ok. She totally ignores anything I actually said and answers all of my unanswered questions instead.  
“Yams is fine, she doesn’t have a fever. She is no longer contagious, and can attend school tomorrow if she wants. She still has some drainage of fluid, meaning she’s going to be snotty for a little bit more. We’re eating a well-balanced meal to ensure she replenishes her vitamins she lost during the past few days. Its eggs, toast, fruit and a glass of milk and a glass of water as well, to push her fluids. She is slightly groggy but is perking up just fine. I’m going to head back to my pad and crash around 10ish, I got ahold of baldy and he actually doesn’t have class so he’s going to watch her until Armin finishes his lectures.” She finishes sounding a little out of breathe. I do believe that’s the most about of words she has ever said to me, and I’m honestly a bit stunned and touched. Most of the time we don’t really talk, and she was willing to help me out so much with yams this past week. To be honest I think she really likes Ymir, and I swear they have silent conversations and debates telepathically, I do believe she has gotten attached. I realize I’ve been standing here silent while my mind ran way, flustered I sputter out an apology.  
“Oh I’m sorry! I spaced out a bit, Thank you so much Annie! I would have been lost without you and the guys helping me. I’ll repa-“She cuts me off.  
“It’s fine. We’re not bothered.” She flat lines. I still feel really really bad about it and want to repay her, so I try again.  
“I’ll repay yo-“she hangs up on me. Huh, I stare at the phone as it boops at me insistently letting me know the call has ended. Huh. I check the time, 8:00am. I walk towards the next class, Calculus with Mrs. Ral. I still have time as it doesn’t start until 9:00 so I drop by computer lab #3 and check my email and send off an essay that isn’t due until tomorrow to my “early child studies” class. I feel a bit better with yams now that I’ve had a few of those classes under my belt, but it’s definitely different with real children verses the ones in the books.  
^^^^^  
I sigh rubbing the back of my neck as I have sufficiently wasted enough time, and headed towards class. I pass Eren and he grins cheekily and high-fives me, meaning he did something to that one roommate of his.  
“Eren, what did you do?” I gently scold him. He smirks and raises his hands like he holding a camera.  
“Turned off his alarms and took a bunch of selfies” He smirks; I chuckle and sigh at him.  
“You do know that just makes it worse to live with him, right?” I raise an eyebrow, why pick a fight with a roommate? Who cares if he has a crush on your sister? Wait, how would I handle it if yams had that problem… I get lost in my thoughts again and Eren shrugs used to it and thankful I hadn’t lectured him, pats my shoulder as he zips into his next lecture. I pop out of my thoughts and –Shoot I’ve got to get to class, its 8:37am. 

 

^^^^

 

Mrs. Ral smiles and we exchange pleasantries.  
"How’s your husband, Oluo? Has he recovered from that split in the side of his tongue yet?" I inquire.  
"He will eventually learn to leave it alone and learn to stop talking so much." but she smiled as she said it, softening the insult a little. I could see how much her face softened and the sparkle in her eye when she talked about him. She was very much in love with him, no matter how harsh her words were. I smiled and excused myself to go take a seat and allow other students to come in, as I felt we were blocking the door. I pick a seat in the middle and set to work getting comfortable and do one last read thru on my notes. My phone buzzes and I check it really fast as Mrs. Ral starts to close the do-awww its a cute picture sent from Annie of Yams in a soft looking light blue knit hoodie with bunny ears on the hood and a shy smile on her face. OOOOOOOh it was so cute! She looked like she was very proud of it. Saving it, I glanced up as Mrs. Ral started to hand out the test sheets to the class. Calculus, I got this.

 

^^^^^

 

I finish faster than I figured I would, and placed my test on the podium.  
"Have a nice day Professor Ral!" I wave as I leave. She smiles at me as she taps on a student to warn her of cheating. I check the time Its 9:45am, I start my shift at the "Corps" coffeehouse at 10:00 Sharp. The lady who owns and runs the coffee house is actually Eren’s older sister Mikasa. She also teaches here at the university, she posts it as work-study on human interaction and the social sciences. It’s a way of getting around the schools rules about teachers working students as manual labor, or at least that’s what Eren says. I actually like my job and it pays so I can get things that Yams needs, even if it’s only part time. I slip inside past the guests, small tables and high coffee bar that looks more like it should serve alcoholic drinks instead of coffee. I open the small door marked employees only, and sling my bag into one of the lockers that is labeled with my name on tape Witten with permit marker. I grab my uniform, a white button up shirt and a tan apron with my shifts "crest" on the upper right chest area. First shift gets the gray shield with a pair of wings (due to their shift being the worst, who can survive without coffee?), 2nd shift gets the gray shield and two roses (being less busy), and the third shift the gray shield and a green unicorn with a white mane (being almost dead, no one wants coffee super late, unless it’s around a testing phase). Then part timers (like me) get the simple gray shield with two crossed sword, one black the other white. I slip behind the bar and clock in at the register, letting the other employee go. Hans, one of the 2nd shift guys swings by with a tray of empty glasses and pushes them to the back washroom thru the "dead slot" (it’s just a little window) next to the bar. It sounds fancy but it’s not.  
"Hey how’s it going Freckled Jesus?" he asks as he swings behind the counter to charge a guest. I smile at him, it seems that being polite in this university is something that grants you a saintly status, which bothers me but I don’t fight it when they tease me on it. There would be too many people to fight.  
"I already had two midterm tests, Annie spoke on the phone for more than a minute, and I have a super cute picture of Yams. So all in all a very good day. How about you Hans?" I smiled remembering how yams looked in her new hoodie. Hans doesn’t get a chance to answer when the front door swings open hard enough to hit wall on the side and make a loud bang. In walks Sasha with a bag of chips in one hand raised above her head. As this is usually how Sasha enters no one really pays her any mind. Hans gives me a small smile and takes the receipt over to the guest. Sasha walks over to the counter and gently sets the chip bag down on a stool, giving it its own chair. And then sits at another.  
“I need two coffees" she says rising two fingers, "One is for here, I'm drinking it so make it my usual. The other is a special order for someone else and is to go. But I’m not gonna get it till...” she check her phone for the time." 1:30pm"  
"You’re buying for someone else, sash? “I ask. It was weird for Sasha to buy much less share food with anyone...unless. I glance to the chip bag sitting in its own stool, as I pull out a cup and start to make her 'usual'.  
"Who’s the prophecy for?" I ask excited. Sasha is kind of known for being able to tell the future...from chips (well all kinds of food really but the chips most often). It’s actually kind of scary; she’s kind of like the oracle from that movie 'the matrix' only Sasha would be eating the cookies not giving them away. Most people don’t believe her at first, but she is never wrong. Even if it’s not how or what you'd expect. If she has to buy someone else coffee then it must be big. She stares at me a bit owlishly and I hand her usual, a Mocha-coconut-frap-with chocolate chips added and a pump of caramel on top of the whip cream.  
"A stargazer and a constellation, an herbivore and a flower." she mumbles as she dips a finger in the whip cream and caramel topping. I stare at her, waiting for her to continue but she doesn’t, she just licks her finger. Hans comes up with an order from a table and I start on it. Sasha sits up and leans forward, she smiles at me.  
“You have to be the one to make the coffee at 1:30, Marco. It has to be you", she says grinning. I meet her eyes and a little tingle goes up the back of my neck, at the look she’s giving me.  
"Sasha is it mi-?"But she cuts me off.  
"AHHHH!! I FORGOT TO GOT TO TELL CONNIE I WANTED THE SPICY NOODLES!!" yells Sasha slamming the rest of her Frap in one long swallow. She smacks a 10 dollar bill onto the bar top.  
"This pays for mine and the 1:30 one, keep the change Marco! AH and watch Charles!" she says cheerily gesturing to the chip bag. She leans to kiss my cheek over the counter, nearly sitting on top of it to do so.  
"Wait what kind is the 1:30 one?!?" I ask flustered as she zips toward the door.  
"YOU CHOOSE!!" she hollers over her shoulder as the door closes behind her. Was it my prophecy or was I helping someone else? I’m not sure if I could choose wrong or did Sasha know what kind I would already make? If I make the wrong kind of coffee would it affect anything? Worried I look at the chip bag, and it looks blankly back at me. No answers there.

 

^^^^

 

I have stared at that chip bag for over 30 minutes now, a to-go cup clutched with both hands. I glance at the clock on the wall by the door I have only 2 minutes until Sasha said the coffee was due. Hans sits on one of the stool next to the chip bag. It’s been a slow shift and Hans is patting the chip bag like a cat and trying to help me decide what kind of drink to make.  
"What if I mess it up?" I ask for what seems like the 104th time. Hans shakes his head.  
"No way Sasha doesn’t make mistakes...you’ll figure it out Marco." I rub the back of my neck looking up; I set the to-go cup on the bar in front of me. Ok, ok Marco let’s think about this..... It’s Sasha who asked, so they need help. No bad way to think...she’s getting it to make them realize something? Then something jarring would do the trick? Or something sweet?? WAIT, you can make something sweeter but you cannot make it less sweet...so... the best bet would be something....bitter...and Jarring...like..... LIKE... AN EXPRESSEO! I Grab the cup sloshed what I know it needs into its white depths just as Sasha tosses open the door. She walks over as I slam the lid down and set it on the bar, breathing heavily. She smiles and grabs a marker from her backpack holding it out to me.  
"Write 'A tiny titan approaches' please!" She chirps at me. Hans’s stares dumb founded, forgetting he was in the middle of petting Charles the chip bag. Sasha may not buy food for people that often but if she’s giving a prophecy she NEVR has anyone ELSE WRITE IT OR SAY IT BUT HER. I nod slightly and grab the marker.  
"A tinny titan approaches," I confirm softly awed by the fact that she is allowing me this much involvement. She nods, and grabs Charles from under Hans' stilled hands. I very carefully write out the requested phrase. She grabs the cup tucks Charles under her arm and heads to the door.  
"Thanks for the Espresso Marco!! He’s gonna need it," She hollers over her shoulder; as the door swings shut behind her. My knees buckle a bit and I set my forehead down on the bar top. Huh.  
"That was. The most intense. Coffee making session. I have EVER SEEN." Hans whispers. I roll on my forehand to look at him.  
"How did she know I made an espresso?" I ask him. 

 

^^^^^

 

4:30pm. I walk tiredly into the Shared space of the third floor. I glance over and see everyone in the living room area. I walk around the couch edge. Squished on the couch is Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie who has Yams cuddled to her chest, Eren, and Armin who was mostly on the arm of the couch. Sasha and Connie were crashed out on a beanie-bag chair close by and Eld was sitting on the floor next to the couch leaning against Annie's leg. Huh. Annie had gone home at 10, what was she doing here? And Eld I know has a Class right now, Eren had been talking about a blind date set for tonight, and Armin sill had his backpack on. I tiptoe around back to the kitchen, and see it. Hanging above the sink wet, like it had been washed was Yams' new knit hoodie (that I’m positive Annie had hand knit). I set my bag down quietly; glancing back at everyone’s sleeping forms. I look back at the soggy hoodie, and see nothing wrong with it. What had happened? Armin sits up, and slips off of the arm of the couch the weight of his bag pulling him down.  
"Ah!" he yelps when he slams to the ground, which wakes everyone else up. EVERYONE. Annie sits up keeping Yams against her chest. She groggily glances over and sees me next to the sink. She pushes Eld off her leg, and chucks Reiner’s beefy arm off of her thigh, and on to Bert. She finally wiggles free and stands up, readjusting yams to keep holding her. Annie than makes her way over as everyone else rumbles and stretches. She then hands a very groggy, snotty, swollen and red eyed Ymir to me. Revealing a soggy shirt stuck to her chest. Yams huffs a little and buries her face in my chest. Gripping my shirt in both hands, her little bunny is squished between us. She huffs again and it sounds almost like a sob. Armin having finally managed to rid himself of his bag walks around Annie, and leans against the sink.  
“Something happened when Ymir and I went to the park.... She was so excited to show you her new hoodie, Annie made it for her. We went to playground and while we were there we got some ice-cream sandwiches. I offered to go toss the trash but she insisted because she was better now. And when she came back she had coffee on her front and busted knuckles on her right hand. We came back to get her cleaned up and she -she exploded! It was the worst tantrum I have ever seen! she was so upset... She hasn’t told us what really happened. And we've been trying for almost an hour and a half." Armin explained softly. I rub her little back, rocking slightly as she huffed ageist my chest again she’s almost too tired to cry.  
"Yams...what happen?" I ask her softly. As she grips tighter, trying to squish as close as possible. She swipes her face to the side in a manner that I know was to wipe snot from her nose. She lets go with one hand rubbing an eye and huddles her bunny to her slim chest. She glares at nothing resting the side of her head ageist me.  
"The..."she starts licking her lips “the mean boy called me a bad word. AND spilled his coffee on me...." She glares harder. "I wanted to show you..." She snuffs snot. I grab a Kleenex off the counter edge and hand it her. She wipes her little red nose. Eren pushes past Armin using his coconut head as an armrest. Reiner pushes a kitchen chair over and straddles it, Eld leans over Annie, Bert stands behind Reiner, even Connie and Sasha push close to hear what she was saying. As that was the most amount of information that they had gotten out of her. It takes a select type to unlock a stubborn Ymir, and the keys are a soft voice, patience, and freckles...because freckles solve everything. Yams balled up the tissue in her fist, I noticed now her little knuckles had band aids on them.  
"I punched him...." Eren whoops.  
"That’s the spirit Yams!" Bert looks surprised and sweats a bit; he exchanges a look with Reiner. Eld raises an eyebrow, Connie or Sasha gasp... I couldn’t figure out which one it was. Annie stands as our rock in this emotional wave, as blank faced as ever.  
"..Then I told him off.... and kicked him...” Bert starts to breathe heavy, and sweat a lot. Reiner’s jaw drops. Armin covers Eren’s mouth as he tries to cheer again, looking shocked. Eld raises his other eyebrow. Connie and Sasha grab and hold onto each other. And Annie...our rock in this... broke...she snickered. I was floored, little yams got in to a fight!?!? What? The? Fuck? And she kicked the kid when he was DOWN? WHO DID SHE LEARN THIS FROM?!? I have no idea what my face looked like but everyone stopped looking at yams, glanced at me and decided they needed to be elsewhere. As everyone cleared out I took Yams back to our room and pulled out our chair. The stuffed one that used to sit in Mina's study that now serves as our desk chair. I sit us down, Yams was quiet for a while; I let both of us calm down, as I brush a hand thru her thick black hair that has slipped out of the silver clip of her ponytail holder.  
“I’m sorry Marco...” she says softly, wiping her nose on my shirt again. I sigh, and lean my head back.  
"I’m not mad at you. More like your actions yams. You can’t kick someone when their down. It’s not nice. Well starting a fight isn’t nice. But you did have you reasons.....but Yams being cruel isn’t right no matter what. Alright? And if you see that boy again you have to say you’re sorry ok?" she nods slightly, her little hands relax and the tension leaves her slowly as her fatigue catches up with her. After all starting a fight, throwing an hour and a half tantrum (and holding 7 adults hostage during it with your tears) then telling someone who might be disappointed or mad at you for what you did would make anyone tired. I gave up on my shirt and use it to wipe her face off and clean her nose. I pull off her shoes and reach up pulling the covers on her bed (the top bunk) back and lay her down, making sure she doesn’t lose her bunny. Sometimes being tall has its good points. I make sure her ponytail clip is out of her hair completely and set it on the dresser top. I pull the covers up and kiss her little freckled cheek.  
"Night, yams. Love you. “I whisper as her breathing slows and she drifts off. She grunts something that could be a Love you but she’s so tired it’s just a jumble of sounds. I discard my snotty shirt in to the laundry and slip on a new one. I pull out my books and by the light of a dinky desk lamp I start on my homework. I rub the back of my neck and sigh. What a day.


	2. Chapter 2. Venti Vanilla latte 2 pumps Carmel, please

Chapter 2. Venti Vanilla latte 2 pumps Carmel, please

October 17th Saturday, 7:37am

I groan as a long loud garbled string of sounds brings me back from a weird dream about talking chips and espressos. I reach a hand out looking for my phone. I swing my arm farther around chasing after the escapee. Another string of sounds blares thru my closed door. I sit up reaching around with both hands now and locate my phone. I thumb across the screen and check the time. I groan again, what were they doing? I fumble around finding clothes and notice Annie crashed out on Yams' bunk. Her blonde hair is all over the place and she looks so relaxed so I struggle to be quiet. I stagger out and see in the living room a very excited Reiner standing on the couch holding Yams up, her little hands holding cookies. He’s so big she’s almooost hitting the ceiling. Kneeling behind the couch I see Sasha, Connie and a very sweaty Bert(who looks like he was bullied in to it) bow down to the upraised Yams. I look past them at the TV and yep sure enough their mimicking the Lion King. That one scene where Rafiki hold Simba up in the opening and all of the animals bow.  
"AND IT MOOVES US ALLL!!" bellows out Reiner and Yams at the same time. His deep baritone is surprisingly in tune and yams is so far off. Once yams finishes her line she tosses a cookie that was held in her hand at Sasha. Sasha lunges at it pushing Connie out of her way. I smile.  
"Tangled is up next on Reiner’s playlist" says Armin from behind his book at the kitchen table behind me. Yams waves at me then tosses the other cookie while chuckling evilly. I wave and smile back at I walk over to the coffee pot by the fridge, I glance over at him, by his elbow is a camera. I watch as he picks it up and snaps a picture from around his book. I smile wider pulling down a coffee mug. The scene changes and they all scramble back on to the couch so they don’t miss it. Armin smiles over at me.  
"You missed a touching little mermaid reenactment. I’ve got pictures though" he chuckles from around his book," poor Bert was a wonderful Ariel." Reiner was one of the more excited of my dorm mates when I told them that yams was going to have to stay with us. I’m now a hundred percent positive it’s so he would have an excuse to watch his Disney collection (and to eat sweet things too). He’s got the box set. He has wholly corrupted yams, and it’s not unusual to see them reenacting and singing along to an entire movie on the weekends. It was however the first time they had gotten others to join in. I pour a sweet cup of life, adding my fixings, and stirring it as I join arming at the table.  
“Connie and Sasha brought donuts over this morning. I think they felt like Ymir needs some "recovery therapy" I think that’s how Connie put it, for everything from yesterday. I think they just needed an excuse to get donuts." I laugh, grabbing a few of the sugary demon from a box in the middle of the table. A very groggy Eren stumbles out of Armin’s room.  
"What’s going on?" he grumbles, rubbing a hand over his eyes. As he catches sight of the latest reenactment he pauses.  
"Oh ...how'd they manage to get them to join?" he ponders drifting to the coffee pot. It is a beacon that calls all life to it. He stops when Ms. Mikasa opens the front door balancing stacks of coffee cups on trays.  
"Hey" we all call out as Mikasa sets her treasure trove down. Eren switches from the coffee pot beeline to locking on to Mikasa.  
"heeeeeeeeeey it my favorite sister!" oozes Eren as he slips an arm around her waist. Ms Mikasa starts to hand out coffee.  
"New guy training," Mikasa explains." Some of them will be off." Everyone quickly claims a sacred cup of the precious life source.  
"Wow, this is so sweet.." mutters Bert, cracking the lid and peeking inside.  
"He needed a lot of training. You guys get the these." comments Mikasa. She points to the stack of cups still left as she heads to the door, she wave at us and blows a kiss at Eren. Eren blows an overly dramatic kiss back, and Mikasa rolls her eyes at him as she closes the door.  
"Sooo...how did they get them to join in?" Eren asks again.  
"Yams had a pack of Oreo cookies for Sasha, Connie is game for anything Sasha is up to, and they all bullied Bert." Eren laughs.  
"Wait they have Oreos?" Eren zips over to the couch and jumps in. "I claim Timon!!" he yells reaching for a few Oreos. We heard a soft smack, as yams hits his hand.  
"you have to earn it swine." she commands.  
I wrap both hands around my mug, smiling at yams. I just let the wonder liquid called coffee by mere mortal seep into my soul. Thank god for coffee. A chorus of "Mufasa" and crazy giggles drift over from the couch.

 

^^^^^

 

I stretch my arms up above my head, leaning back in my chair at the kitchen table. Bert, Armin and I are have been going over and rewriting our notes for one of our Lit. Classes for around 30 minutes by now. Armin's as always are super detailed, and Bert’s have little sweat stains on a few. I check the clock on the microwave Its 9: 22am, I scoot my chair back and refill my coffee mug. I realize I finished the pot and start another. Annie stumbles out and her hair still all over the place, in what I do believe is one of my shirts and..... no pants. She pulls out the OJ and drinks from the jug.  
"EW," mutters Bert "don’t drink from the jug Annie."  
"It’s ok I can medically guarantee its safe to drink from the jug." she deadpans back at him. He smiles at her crinkling his nose.  
"You’re up kind of early today," comments Armin, blushing a bit and trying to not look at her legs. She grabs a mug, causing the shirt to ride up a bit. Armin turns a bright red, pulling his notes ""up to his face. Bert and I share a look, Annie grabs some coffee and then takes a seat.  
"Yams needed the sheets." was all her explanation was.  
"She’s probably making another crazy tent in there." I shrug remembering the monstrous thing she had last made, she had stolen everyone’s sheets and made a tent maze. Quite ingenious really, it went through our whole dorm floor. Last time poor Bert had been kicked out of bed by yams. It had been after one of her therapy sessions and she had been stressed out. It had been Reiner’s idea, he’s like a kid in a pro-wrestlers body, I swear. It worked though, and now she gets super creative when she gets too stressed.  
“Where’s everyone?” Annie grunts around her coffee. Armin grabs onto this like a lifeline and is the first to answer, his blush gone now that he had a question to answer, and he lowers his notes.  
“Eld went back to his room last night. Sasha, Connie, and Eren had crashed here last night but are now down in dorm 2 playing videogames with Reiner.” He handled it like a trooper and even managed to look her in the face while answering her. She grunts in response. I notice a note on one of Bert’s papers and write it into mine, as it seems like I had missed it during the lecture. We hear a loud string of noises from below us, Bert looks down and frowns slightly. He fidgets a bit and sweats some, Annie glances up at him. She raises an eyebrow and he rubs the back of his neck. Ah, their doing that childhood friends silent communication thing.  
“I’m- I’m going to check on Reiner.” mutters Bert, shuffling his notes and standing up awkwardly. I smile and hand him back his papers. He heads back toward his room to change out of his Pjs. I was surprised he had lasted 30 plus minutes, he tends to trail after Reiner and I’m not even sure he realizes it. But it is cute.  
“Wait I’ll come with, I want to grab some of my notes back from Eren” announces Armin at Bert as he goes to put his notes away too. Bert nods back over his shoulder. They head out in actual clothes to see what everyone else is up to, Bert wiping a bit of sweat from his forehead. Annie nods at them and I wave finishing up rewriting my notes. I finish and place them back into the proper binder, and push the whole thing away from me on the table.  
“So…” I start looking at Annie and smiling. Her pale blue eyes flick over to my brown ones.  
“Is there a reason you came out without pants on?” Her eyes dart way from mine, and she coughs a little bit into her hand. I lean a little bit closer, my angelic grin working its magic.  
“Because I know I’ve got a few sets of clothes in there for you, for when you stay over.” I raise an eyebrow, and a slight bit of pink hits her cheeks. At least I think it does, it could just be the lighting. Sometimes its hard to tell with Annie. Annie sometimes stays over, due to the fact that our dorm is closer to her workplace than hers is. She usually crashes in my room, and it’s not just because of Yams (Girls being more comfortable staying with other girls). As I’m gay or at least the only openly gay one that is and “no one” would get the wrong idea about her sleeping with me. And by “no one” I mean “someone” and by ‘someone’ I mean Armin. As she is childhood friends with Bert and their pretty much extensions of the same little tree. And she doesn’t care about Reiner, as Bert seems to have taken a shine to him, so long as he is nice to Berthold. I’m gay…so... That leaves Armin.  
“So..?” I lean a bit more smiling softly, my heavenly niceness practically set to stun and this time I know it’s a slight blush that hits her cheeks. She clears her throat and sips her coffee. We're both silent for a little bit.  
“…….” She opens her mouth and stops and closes her mouth, her blush gone.  
“……….” It’s killing me, and I can see her moving past this subject.  
“I think he noticed” I tell her very softly. She smirks.  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She deadpans her smirks disappearing. I laugh setting my head on the table, Armin you poor guy you have your work cut out for you. I roll my head and look at the clock, its 9:56am. Suddenly the door busts open, an out of breathe and freaked out Armin runs over to us grabbing one of our arms each. Making Annie spill her coffee he pulls us up red faced and panicky.  
“HURRY!!! HURYYY!! YMIR IS HURT AND SHES DOWN STAIRS!!!!!! I DON’T HAVE TIME TO EXPLAIN COME ON!!” he yells at us pulling us towards the door and Annie’s coffee cup slips out of her hand and shatters. I don’t remember running down the stairs or opening the door. The next thing I see is everyone crowded around yams, who is sitting on the counter. Blood covering her face, little hands (which are pressed to her face), and her front. Annie is pushing people out of the way and time slows. I see almost from a distance as Annie pushes yams' hood back, and her arms away from her face and tilting up her face. Yams raises her arm in slow motion and points towards a slim guy with two toned hair standing slightly back, he’s looking bored as he chews on his thumbnail.  
“Ah! That’s the mean boy, he did it.” I feel time stop completely; there is no sound as my vision blacks out. 

 

I feel the knuckles of my right fist connect with the flesh of his nose.

 

Strange I didn’t feel myself take the three steps toward him or clenching my fist. 

 

I hear raw sounding screaming.

 

“YOU FUCKING BASTARD SHES FUCKING SEVEN!!”

 

Who’s screaming?

 

He’s flung back in slow motion, slamming into Connie who’s coming from his room an ice-pack in hand.

 

They slowly fall to the ground.

 

One of my feet is raised, and hands slip into the edges of my vision. 

 

The floor raised to meet me and someone is standing in front of the two-tone haired guy’s body, between him and everyone else. 

 

He’s shouting something but I can’t hear him. 

 

Just the sound of the screaming fills my ears.

 

“ILL FUCKING KILL YOU!!”

 

Wait is that me? 

 

“HITTING MY YAMS!!!” 

 

Am I screaming at him?

 

“WAIT!! WAIT!! CALM THE FUCK DOWN!!!”

 

Oh it’s Eld standing there, he’s is the one mouthing along with that line so he’s trying to keep the peace. 

 

I’m trying to drag myself at the guy, but for some reason it’s so hard to get there.

 

Time starts to flow normally and sensations slip into my awareness, hands on my arms and shoulders, what feels like people actually sitting or lying on top of me. Yams is there she’s stoking my face, and my throat feels raw and I realize I had stopped screaming. I blink and process what she mouthing at me.  
“IM FINE MARCO! I FELL!! HE DIDN’T HIT ME!! IM FINE” she yells, petting my face still. I tilt my head at her. Eld is still yelling behind her, gesturing and holding his arms out in a defensive matter.  
“LISTEN TO ME THIS IS A MISUNDRSTANDING!! JEANS NOT LIKE THAT!!” other sounds come into play, Connie groaning as he pushes himself out from under the two-toned haired guy. Reiner and Bert’s heavy breathing in my ears and they were the ones laying on me. Annie is gripping my shoulders, Inhaling sharply. Sasha whimpers, holding one of my arms.  
"BACK THE FUCK UP JAEGER! JEAN WOULDNT HIT A KID, LET ALONE A GIRL!!" Eld yells, as Eren tries to dodge around him.  
"HE'S NOT PART OF THE GROUP WHY STAND UP FOR HIM?!?" Eren yells as Eld shoves him back.  
"DONT JUDGE HIM BEFORE YOU KNOW HIM! HES GOOD WITH KIDS!" Eld snaps back in Eren’s face.  
“JEANS JUST SOME ASSHOLE!!” bellows Eren as he swings at Eld. ,  
"NO HES NOT! WE JUST DONT KNOW HIM!" yells Eld blocking Eren, then smacking the side of his head. Sasha jumps in front of Eld holding her hands up, one of Eren's chest and the other on Eld's, holding them apart.  
“EVERYONE FUCKING STOP!!” her shrill screech stops everyone. Yams still stokes my face and I relax a bit. Sasha points at yams, one hand still on Eren’s chest.  
“What happened yams?” she asks softly. Yams wipes some blood from her face.  
“He’s the mean boy who called me a name, the one I hit.” Eren stops pushing and turns to look at her.  
“I heard him below, on the balcony. So I tried to climb down to say I was sorry. Like Marco told me I should.” Everyone’s grip loosens on me.  
“I slipped and fell on to something then hit my face on his door. He saw the blood and ran me out here.” She finishes rubbing more blood from her bleeding nose. Everyone is very quiet as they let me go. I sit up and grab yams’ face checking for any other wounds. I use my sleeve to wipe away a bit more blood. Connie hands me an Ice-pack covered in a washcloth he grabbed from the sink. Annie pulls it from my hands and applies it gently herself to Yams’ face.  
“She just has a busted nose. It’s fine. No other injuries.” She puts yams' own little hands on the pack, and makes sure she holding it properly.  
“Lean forward and pinch your nose*.” She orders, letting go. She walks over to John? Jean? checking his face and pulling up one of his eyelids**.  
"flashlight." she orders holding a hand open behind her, someone pulls a spare from a cabinet and places it in her hand. She checks his pupil reaction, then checks the rest of his face.  
"He already had a black eye, Marco you broke his nose and gave him two." She states glancing back at Yimr, smirking a little bit then her glaze flickers at me. She continues to exam around his head, finding a few lumps.  
"No concussion, he'll wake up later." She nods at Eld who picks up John? Jean? And half drags half carries him back to his own room. Annie goes and checks the lumps forming on Connie’s bald dome.  
"you'll live lopsided for the rest of you life." she one lines. She’s kidding....I think...??

 

^^^^^^

 

"Oh gosh. oh gosh. oh gosh." I pace back and forth in front of the stove. Everyone else is sitting around the little kitchen table, they even grabbed the chairs from our table and brought them down to watch.  
"I! me! Marco! Punched someone! without listening to him!!" I panic, completing another loop in my invisible racetrack. I glance at the wall clock, 10:13am. He’s been unconscious for 13-14 minutes now.  
"I -I-I- aghhhh!!" I run both my hands thru my hair, pulling at it. Completely disgusted with my self, and I felt so guilty. It was just a misunderstanding, and I made it worse!!  
"Im the nice guy! I don’t!!! I was gonna Ki-AGhhh!!" I smack my self in the face, with both hands and stifle a scream.  
"your just like Marco, he was gonna kick him too," Annie mutters to yams, patting her head across the table from where yams sat on Reiner’s lap.  
"NO! NO! I wasn’t! Was I!?! I mean maybe I was gonna hit him again bu-AH I just blacked out! I couldn’t stop myself!!" I keep pacing, I continue to beat myself up over it for about 5 more loops. I glance over at everyone; they are all exchanging money even yams has a few bills in her hands. They pause when they notice me looking.  
"What are you guys doing??" I asked, pausing in my pacing.  
"were paying up," clarifies Yams. She glares at Eren as she hand over a few bills to him. I tilt my head.  
"paying up for what?" I hesitantly ask.  
"We bet about if you would ever lose your temper." states Annie, taking a few bills from Sasha, Connie, Reiner, Bert, and Eld.  
"Then we had another bet about if you did whether you would actually punch some one." Cheerily announces Eren claiming a few bills from Armin and then from both Bert and Reiner, then he hands one to yams, and to Eld too.  
"Then we had another bet on who you would be defending when you punched someone, because lets be honest it would be for someone else if you got pissed." Smirks Reiner claiming a few bills back from Eren and taking one from Connie. Yams also rakes in a few more from around the table. I stare, not only had they been betting but they got yams in on it too.  
"WAIT you guys BET on this happening!?!?! aghh" i pull a bit more hair and return to pacing as the victors counted their money.  
"you guys knew I was unstable so you guys bet on it?!?!?" I moan as I looped around and around.  
"Oh Hanji is gonna need their share, Reiner, Bert, Sasha, Connie, Eld and I all owe them 2 each. Hanji correctly predicted yes, one punch, and it would be over Yams, and before the end of this year." tallies up Armin as he pouts on his elbow clearly having lost quite a few bucks. A tie is argued over who the clear winner is Hanji, Eren or Yams. ....it gets settled that it was yams. Unbelievable! I loop and worry for another I think. I check yep another 15 minutes. From the very last room, the one that belongs to jean? John?( Ya I think its John.) comes the sounds of a crashing tumble, falling things and a deep retching, then some kind of liquid substance hitting water and porcelain. Sounds like he’s awake annnnd puking. oh God. Everyone looks at Annie.  
"oh ya he might puke." she deadpans.*** I head back to apologize right way, but Eld steps in front of me cutting me off.  
"I think he might be a bit more understanding if the one who punched him isn’t the one to tell him what happened." He announces, making me flush with shame. "Ill go check on him..." He grabs another icepack, a glass of water and a few pain pills. He heads back as we hear john retch and puke again, we all lean to watch him walk down the hallway. Oh god! oh god! oh god!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ^^^^^^^^^YummyBun notes^^^^^^^^^^^^  
> It was so hard to write the boys fighting!! We were gonna hold off on posting a chapter until Friday but....We couldn't help ourselves.  
> * it actually is much better to lean forward and pinch your nose when you have a nose bleed. Tilting your head back can actually make you bleed out, as you cannot judge the amount of blood lost. the pressure from tilting you head forward helps to clot the blood vessel as well as leaving the nose unpinched a few quick breaths in and out to maximize air flow to coagulate the blood faster. Its the fastest way to stop a bloody nose.-Actual medical knowledge + years of constrict bloody noses.-(and that’s a word from our resident sick kid YummyBuns.)  
> ** all ways check some who is unconscious first ..like Jean, as they might have a concussion or something worse, then go check on someone who conscious, like Connie. -Actual medical knowledge.-  
> *** yes it actually is common to puke when your in a lot of pain.( Believe me- YummyMeat adds.)  
> I have to edit our chapters at a computer at work, because my laptop just committed suicide and for some weird reason YummyMeat's computer doesn’t have word, just this notepad thing. It was during this I realized something, YummyMeat knows how to correctly spell "masturbate" (YummyMeat editor’s note, I had to correct the spelling for masturbate when Buns wanted to make fun of me….heh), but not "that's." ....really Meats? (that’s the fanfiction life- replied Meats when questioned about it...and I just don’t put the pffts "little thingy" above the T and the S ) Sorry our little caffeine addicts this is a slow build, so nothing racy yet..yet. Read Jeans part from Yummy Meat here. So Please join us for another cup of coffee!  
> Don't forget to check out Meat's version with Jean's POV [**Here!!**](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4825913)


	3. Chapter 3 Ice Carmel-macchiato, please

Chapter 3 Ice Carmel-macchiato, please

October 18th Sunday, 6:25am.

I’ve been up since 3am panicking over how I’m going to apologize to this guy. Not just panicking, to be more specific I’ve been panic-baking. Why baking? Because I’m a stress baker that’s why. The mixing, measuring, and the creation of ingredients in baking sooths my frayed nerves. My dorm-mates realized this during our first year Finals, and at first it was great...... now they still can’t look at a chocolate-chip cookie straight (well maybe Sasha still can but she'll eat anything.), we had cookies for months solid afterwards. And when Mina and her husband died it got really really bad....... they said goodbye to fruit pies then.  
Ms. Mikasa is the only one who actually likes this kind of freak-out. In fact If I call her and let her know she'll buy me ingredients until it’s over. Provided she can sell (the thousands of) leftovers of whatever I bake in the "Corps." There have been points that I have kept the coffee house filled with baked goods for months off of one session of panic-baking alone. And that’s why I’ve been awake and baking with Ms Mikasa for over 3 hours now. I check on what’s in the oven, almost....DING! Done! I pull out a pans of fresh Lemon muffins. And set them in a tall cooling rack with ten other trays of the same kind. Ms. Mikasa is pulling muffins out of pans and wrapping them individually then putting them in big boxes, a few are almost full and ready to be carried to her van. I pour what’s left of the lemon in a pan and then start on the blueberry muffin mix again; I pour that into a different set of 3 pans and setting them all in the oven. I set the timer, stepping up beside Ms. Mikasa, I help de-pan and wrap a few sets of muffins.  
"Why?" she asks, as we finish off a box and tape it closed. I jump a bit startled, she usually doesn’t ask why. She must have heard from Eren.  
"I punched a guy..." I mumble. She stops and looks right at me. I swallow, and continue.  
"I thought he had hit Ymir," she stares harder at me.  
"It kind of took four people to stop me.....and he didn’t even hit her. She had fallen and he carried her out….a miscommunication caused it..." I trail off as she looks away from me.  
"And?" she prompts. I sigh rubbing the back of my neck; she was very calm about this...she must have heard it from Armin then. He’s much better at explaining things to Ms. Mikasa than Eren is.  
"I need to apologize to him still..." I finish a box off and tape it closed. I push that one over to the side...that one is for dorm 2, that’s a mixed flavor box.  
"Let’s take these down," Orders Ms Mikasa. We each grab a set flavor box from the finished pile and carry them down. We pass Hanji sitting behind the front desk.  
"So Jesus I heard the right hand of god came in to play?" Cackles Hanji, munching on a muffin. Hanji already got their own box.  
"Feeling guilty about somethin'? Eh muffin?" I blush and help Ms. Mikasa out the door and we load the muffins into her van. 

 

^^^^^^ 

 

Its 8:13am by the time we finish loading the last box into Ms. Mikasa's van, a total of 8 for her. She had to drive and empty the van a few times for muffins and a few for all the equipment she had brought Hanji got their box; Dorm 2's box was set aside. And our dorm (dorm 3) had a box and a half set aside, a total of 11 1/2 boxes. I was done panic-baking. The storm had passed.  
Armin drifts out from his room, he pauses seeing the chaos of the kitchen he lets out a wail. Falling dramatically to his knees, he tosses himself over a box of muffins….and then screams.  
"I LIKED MUFFINS!!" he laments, loud enough to wake Bert and Reiner who both stumble out and pause. Bert lets out a high pitched whine. Reiner rubs his hands over his face, muffling a sob.  
"Adieu muffins, Adieu..." He snuffs.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

8:45am  
I step out of dorm 3; I have the mixed box of muffins for dorm 2 in my hands. Yams trails after me munching on a cinnamon muffin, in one of my shirts and baggy jeans. She had only gotten up recently; she thought it was magic that the muffins seemed to be never ending. We walk down the stairs to dorm 2 and knock...No one answers. Huh.  
"Hmm, were gonna go have Hanji give us a key so we can leave their box inside at least." Yams nods at me around her mouthful of muffin. We continue downstairs and just as we enter the lobby I see a little blonde girl standing in front of the desk and stuffed bunny clutched in one hand. She looks a bit impatient, like she has been standing there for a bit. Hanji has headphones on and is doing a full on drum solo or so it appears. I stop, and yams runs into the back of my legs (I’m sure I have muffin squished to the back of my left thigh if I’m to judge from her gasp). The girl, who looks around yam’s age or a little younger, clears her throat. I walk over and set the box on the counter startling Hanji.  
"Wha-" I cut Hanji off.  
"Are you lost Miss?" I ask softly bending down to get to her height. She shakes her head a bit, she glances over at Yams who is just standing there staring at her, and she clutches her bunny to her chest.  
"My names Historia and no I’m not lost..." she almost whispers.”I’m looking for Nanass," Her big eyes are pleading. Hanji is leaning over the desk when I glance up at them. Hanji shrugs, shaking their head. No idea who ‘Nanass’ is. Yams has a small soft smile on her face and seems to have forgotten about the partly squished muffin in her hand, she just stares at the other girl.  
"Hmmm Do you know what room 'Nanass' is in?" Hanji asks in a surprisingly soft tone (at least soft on the scale of Hanji) In fact id say Hanji is talking like they would to a small scared animal. The little blonde girl shakes her head. I stand up and turn to Hanji. I start to run possibilities thru my head and run a few past them.  
"Can you think of anyone whose name could be shortened to 'Nanass'? Or can you think of anyone who might go by that nickname?" Hanji taps their chin.  
"Lets check the records to safe." and pulls out a thick book, they start flipping thru pages. Sasha steps in from outside, and seeing me she wonders over.  
"What’s going on?" she asks, popping open a bag of chips.  
"I’m looking for Nanass." states the little blonde girl. Sasha tilts her head squatting down to meet the girl’s level. Hanji is still shuffling thru papers. I’m trying to help but reading upside down is hard.  
"What’s 'Nanass' look like?" Sasha chirps.  
"He’s...he’s like this," mutters the blonde girl, she shifts her bunny to under an arm and holds her little hands up in a triangle then drops them down to a square. She is very clearly scared of all of us, and trying her best.  
"Hmm...well why are you looking for Nanass?" Sasha tries instead, not understanding what the motion meant.  
"We were gonna go to the park but....he got in to trouble..." At this yams frowns a bit, setting the squished remains of her muffin on the counter edge. Hanji lets out a soft wine at that.  
"Were gonna have to ask around....I have no idea who she might be looking for." moans Hanji. Sasha tilts her head at the little girl; she stands up and opens her mouth. Hanji grabs Sasha’s arms from across the counter, keeping a hold of Sasha over to the counter they walk her to one side of the front desk, flipping up a lid and pulling Sasha behind.  
"HERE DEAR! You watch the desk were off to look for a missing Nanass!!" yodels Hanji as they backed out and closed the lid, trapping Sasha behind the desk. Hanji holds their hands up like telling a dog to stay.  
"Stay, Sasha, Stay. Good girl!"  
"Oh ok!" Sasha plops down in Hanji's chair. I hand Sasha the box.  
"Hold this well be right back..." I tell her and Hanji Scoops up Historia. I glance at yams and she’s mimicking what the blonde girl had shown Sasha earlier. The triangle and then the square.  
"NANASSSS!!" trills Hanji making the blonde in her arms giggle. "Nanass!!!" We head to the stairs yams slowly trailing after. Hanji keeps hollering like were looking for a dog, or lost pet. I smile; I don’t think we’ll find this Nanass like that. We reach the 2nd floor landing.  
"AH!" Yams shouts. We all turn and look at her.  
"You’re looking for the Muffin!?!?" She asks the blonde pointing then repeating the gesture the girl has shown earlier. Historia nods shyly. I look at Hanji and Hanji tilts their head shrugging.  
"Muffins? Yes Marco made muffins why would you be looking for muffins?...we just left some back there?" they say pointing back to the desk. Historia wiggles down from Hanji's arms.  
"Ahh she was like sweet cotton candy! No fair yams..."pouts Hanji. Yams pushes me out of the way and gabs the blonds hand.  
"This way I know where Nanass is." She pulls Historia along with her, Hanji and I follow. We are walked over to the door for dorm 2. Yams walks right up to it, and slams a hand on it.  
"Open it glasses," she orders at Hanji.  
"HERE?" I ask.  
Hanji twirls over and moves Yams away from the door by the top of her head as they unlock it.  
"OH you so remind me of a tiny corporal!!" they tease as Yams and Historia push past them. I follow in after Hanji.  
"HELLOOOoo?" Hanji really doesn’t know about inside voices... Yams pulls Historia to the hallway then down it. She leads her to the very last door on the left side. OH John's door. Yams taps it gently.  
"This is Nanass' room. ......" She steps back and Historia pauses in front of the door. She fidgets a bit. She then reaches up and twists his door knob. She peeks in. She steps back out closing it.  
"....Nanass told me to not come on my own...he might get mad..." she worries timidly. Looking up at Hanji with big eyes. Hanji kneels down.  
"Well why don’t you wait til Nanass is awake ok?"  
".......can I?" she requests softly. I nod and I pull out my phone calling Sasha. She’s so nervous looking poor Historia.  
"Hey Sash ...can I have you watch Yams and Historia oh and bring up that box to dorm 2?" Hanji fusses next to me.  
"You can t leave the station unmanned!!" I raise an eyebrow at Hanji, and Hanji huffs." hang on...Ill head down and Sasha can head up....aghhhh...I miss all the good stuff...” Hanji pouts as they leave. Not 5 minutes later Sasha is pushing the door open with her hip carrying the box of muffins.  
"Uh...Muffian delivery?" she jokes, setting the box on the table. Historia fidgets as yams grabs her hand leading her to the kitchen table.  
"Who was Nanass?" Sasha whispers at me around the box. I point to john's door, while opening the muffin box.  
"Oh HE"S NANASS??" she yelps. I shush her as the girls get acquainted.  
"I’m Ymir, but everyone here calls me yams." She says cheerily. She points at me then at Sasha.  
"That’s my Marco and that’s Sasha, she can tell the future with chips." I separate out two muffins and hold them out to them, yams grabs one. Historia smiles at me, grabbing the other.  
"Thank you," she whispers. Yams pulls out a chair for Historia, grabbing her coat before helping her up. Yams hands me the pink coat then gets her own chair. I smile, hanging up the coat by the door as Sasha answers her phone, Stepping into the stairwell so she not too loud. She comes back in looking guilty.  
"I have to run to my mom’s place...I can’t watch them...” She explains as she checks for her keys and writes a quick note and sticks it on the fridge.  
"Where’s Connie? Or the rest?" She asks.  
"Connie got stuck covering at his work today, someone got sick he’s gonna be off by 1pm. Eld, Eren, and Reiner are coffee pot shopping....from when we ah broke the other one..yesterday...." I check the time 9:30am, still good on time. “The rest of 3 are up stairs back asleep and my shift starts at 10:45am" Sasha glances at the girls, who are happily chatting away and munching on muffins.  
"Do we leave them here? He’s here if anything happens right?" She pauses then asks Historia directly.  
"Historia do you want to go over to yams' place or stay here?" She asks, I was shocked but what if? No John had brought Yams out when she got hurt so it should be fine? Historia looks at yams, and picks at her muffin.  
"Um... I-I...well...” she ducks her head.  
"We'll stay here." Clarifies Yams, the blonde looks at her shocked then smiles, whispering thanks at yams. I was shocked...but what if.... I bend down to their level.  
"Historia would you trust Nannass with watching you guys until someone else came home?" she nods fiercely. "If anything happens you guys run down to Hanji ok?" They both nod. I look at Sasha Panicking a bit; she grabs my arm and blows kisses at the girls. Historia giggles at that blushing, and yams just waves.  
"You heard her, it will be fine. Trust me he’s a good guy. All hard crusty exterior and marshmallow insides. Look at Historia, would a sweet angel like that come to find someone evil? No they'll be fine...” She soothes walking me to the door. I look back as she walks me out.  
"Call me if anything happens ok?" Sasha closes the door, pushing me upstairs.  
'Go grab your stuff and I’ll give you a ride." She encourages.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

 

10:45 pm  
I clockin just in the nick of time, Sasha almost didn’t stop when she popped open the door for me to jump out. I look at my phone checking to see if I’ve missed any calls. I fidget and worry. What if something happens?!?! What if they get hurt?!? WE LEFT THEM! ALONE....well I mean john was there...but still!!! The 11:25 rush floods the coffeehouse and I no longer have time to worry.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^

 

3:37 pm the shift manager lets me off early because I’m still doing the freak-out dance behind the bar. I usually get off at 4pm on Sundays. I rush to the back pulling out my phone as I run. I call Reiner. It rings and rings, he pick up!!  
"Hey what’s up Marcooooo? You get off early?" He rumbles over the phone.  
"Yes, yes! How it going?" curse my politeness!! Dang it!  
"Oh it’s going fine! Something on your mind?" Thank you! Thank you!  
"Umm ya! Is Yams and Historia alright?!?" I all but yell. He laughs, and mutters something to someone else off the phone....’I win; pay up bitches' it sounds like. I groan you guys had better not be betting again, please just answer my question and say their ok!!  
"Oh ya their fine, pfft hahaha the' muffin' had watched them just fiiiiiinnnne. He’s already taken Little Historia home. I’ll have yams tell you about it later." He laughs and I can hear people laughing in the background. He hangs up on me. Dang it why is everyone hanging up on me! I grab my bag and head back to the dorm.

 

^^^^^^^^^YummyBun Notes^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
WHAhahaha what’s daddy Marco do? Call Mama Reiner! This chapter is a little short. But yams explains what’s happed when they were left alone with the Muffinman, in her own little chapter. I had to rewrite Hanji’s part a few time...they weren’t weird enough. Oh and think I got Yummy meats to add an aliens reference joke into jeans chapter. Bonus! And yes panic baking is a real thing...I did it one time. Oh and you should never leave young children unattended. Although jeans here in this chapter so the girls are fine.


	4. Chapter 4 Hot Chocolate, extra marshmallows...   please

^^^^^^^^^^^  
Ymir Chapter 4 9:32 am.

Sunday Hot Chocolate, extra marshmallows... please

My Marco had to be pushed out by Sasha, he’s too worried. He'll lose all his freckles...or at least that’s what Hanji jokes about. But Hanji's crazy, and you can’t trust crazy people. My Marco says so. I look over at Historia and watch as she just picks at her muffin. Her eyes are all shiny like she’s gonna cry.   
"Do you like Disney?" She looks up at me startled. She nods.  
“What’s your favorite movie or show?" I ask, munching on my muffin. I can’t let her cry. She talked about not being able to go to the park with the Muffin and I think its cuz my Marco hit him....and that was my fault. I can’t make her cry...  
"I like sleeping beauty and princess Sofia." she says shyly. Ok good start!  
"Who’s your fav?" I finish my muffin and she’s eating a bit more of hers. She smiles.  
"Do I have to choose?" I nod. She sticks out her bottom lip thinking hard, she smiles.  
"I like the beast the best!" She so much more pretty when she smiles. I stand up in my chair and sit on the table pulling the box over, oh heavy! I reach inside and shuffle thru the muffins.   
"What happened to your chin?" asks Historia. I reach up and touch the Band-Aid on the mentioned chin.  
"Oh I fell and hit it ...then my nose and the muffin helpped me...That’s how I knew who nanass was."  
"Oh ok!" chirps Historia.  
"What’s your favorite kind of muffin?" I dig as she giggles.  
"Its Bananas...." she giggles harder, when I find one and toss it at her. I tilt my head smiling at her.  
“That’s why he’s called Nanass..." I stare at her and then I lose it. Bananas...Nanass...He’s a ba'nanas' muffin!!! Were laughing so hard we can’t sit up straight.   
"Lets-hahah- dig all-pffthahah the -banana--haha muffins out ---hahahaa and give them to him!!" I giggle out at her. She just about dies. She pushes her trash over to a corner of the table and sits on it with me. We each pull out muffins and try to figure out what they are, giggling. We figure out what ones are banana (each time it makes us laugh) and start to set them off to the side. Hmmm were gonna need something to hold them in...  
"Hang on let me grab a box" I say scooting over to my chair and hopping down. I look in the pantry....let’s see. Yep! Eren always leaves empty boxes in the cabinet. He tries to blame it on Connie but I’ve seen him do it. I grab the biggest one I can find and run it over to the table, we start putting the banana muffins in it. But the box that they came in is too big... there’s no end to the box. I told my Marco that earlier and he laughed. We set aside a few more so we can eat them and put the Muffins box of muffins (hahahhahahahaha) on a chair. We continue to giggle, until we here a creepy nose from the back.  
"That sounds like Nanass," whispers Historia to me. She sounds a bit worried, but it just makes me laugh harder each time I think of the Muffin’s flavor.  
"Let’s watch a movie, while we wait for him to get up!" I suggest as we put the muffins we don’t want back in the box...Historia insisted we clean up after ourselves. I help her down and we run all of the muffins were going to eat over to the couch. We laugh each time we grab a banana one. We toss our trash into the can. I start up the TV and the box thingy....I use the controller to flip thru to netflick and I scroll thru the movie sections until I find the Disney section...  
"Whatchu want to watch, hiss?" I ask over my shoulder.  
"Hiss?" She giggles.  
"Short for Historia...it’s too long. What movie silly?"   
"Oh ok!...ummm let’s do Sleeping beauty!" I select it, and hit play the ads start first. As always...hmm.  
"Want anything to drink?" I ask walking over to the fridge she trails after and I open it. Eww how old is that box? Gross, it’s got growing things in it. We hear another door opening in the back, Historia grabs my hand. She’s worried, But I can’t stop laughing and its helps her relax I think.   
"I can’t stop thinking of a Giant banana muffin approaching us." I whisper in her ear. She loses it laughing so hard she drops her bunny clutching on to me. Were dying in front of the open fridge when the Muffin finds us.   
"Cit-Cat?!?"He exclaims. OOOhhhh he looks bad. Hiss stops laughing very suddenly like she got choked. He’s eyes are all black; his nose has all kinds of big Band-Aids on it. His lip is split too. OOOOOoohhh he looks really bad. Shit. Hiss's grip on me tightens. I look at her, big tears roll down her face. She pulls me over to him and keeping one hand on me she gabs his pant leg.  
"Shh nonono don’t cry! It’s ok! It only looks bad!!" he mummers, she loosening her grip on me and his pant leg , wiping her eyes. He sits down, and pulls her into his arm.  
"Shhhh its ok I’m sorry!! I’m sorry! I’m fine you’re ok!" he rumbles and she sobs. I couldn’t take it and I start to cry too.   
"It was my fault! IMMM SORRYYY" I sob rubbing my eyes. I feel arms wrap around, and I’m sobbing and hiss is pressed next to me, and we’re pressed to his chest. Oh he pulled me into a hug...  
"Its ok you guys shhhh!!! Don’t cry!! It’s all good!! No ones at fault. Its ok!" he soothes rubbing our backs. I calm down much faster than Hiss. I wipe my eyes and nose on his shirt (my Marco hate it when I do that). Hiss is slowing down to and we’re all just sitting on the ground tired out from crying. The muffin pats our heads.  
"All done? See its ok! You guys go sit on the couch and restart the movie. I’m gonna grab a ......drink and them join you uh girls." Hiss wipes her nose one last time and then nods her head. She grabs my hand then her bunny and we wonder over to the couch. I restart the movie, keeping it paused on the opening so the muffins (since he's not a bad guy) can watch it too. We movie our stash of muffins to the side so we can all sit. And we crawl on to the couch. The muffin leans over the couch top (in a different shirt I see, heh) he pats our heads.  
"Who’s up for hot coco? With extra marshmallows?" He asks. We gasp and smile at each other.  
"Ok!"  
"OK, please!!" We chorus .....Mine less polite than hers. He chuckles and heads over to the stove. We stand on the couch and look over the back of it to watch him.  
"So....." He starts as he pulls down a pan and begins to make the coco.  
"Uh how did Cit- cat get here and how did you both get in. And uh how did all this happen?" he asks pouring the milk in the pan. Oh good he knows the right way to make coco. I was scared I was going to have to tech him. Like I had to do to Rei. He made this gross watery stuff ....until I corrected him.   
"Me and My Marco were gonna give you the box" I point at It." as a sorry for him hitting you." Hiss gasps at me.  
"The nice guy was the one who hit Nanass?!?!" She asks I nod saddened.   
"I said something and it came out wrong and My Marco got upset, he thought that the muffin man," who at the mention of his nickname he makes a sound then groans. "Had hit me because I was bleeding."   
"So it like that one time? That I fell and Tommy helped me and Nanass got upset with him cuz he thought Tommy had pushed me?" She chirps. I nod and point.  
"Ya just like that!!" The muffin is mixing the coco magic into the pot now, and he glances over raising an eyebrow. Heh his eyes look like a mask. I’m batman... I giggle.  
"You should growl that your batman," I tell muffins. He looks at me confused.  
"I'll say it later.....how’d Cit get in here silly, you still haven’t answered my questions." He says raising an eyebrow again. Oh shoot ....I’ll get him to say it...  
"We went to the Hanji. And hiss was there." I say, gesturing to her.  
"Hiss?" He asks pouring the coco into mugs and pulling out a bag of marshmallows.  
"Short for Historia," I say gesturing with my hands, showing something big them something smaller.  
"Ah, ok so then?" He says adding marshmallows to each cup.  
"Oh ya so then we went to look for the missing Nanass and I realized you were the muffinman. Hanji opened the door and we waited til you woke up...” I finish up in a rush.  
"So mysterious child who has fallen from the sky and appeared like magic, what’s your name?"  
He asks letting the marshmallow fluff and dissolve a bit. Oh he knows how to make them perfectly.  
"I’m Ymir .... But everyone calls me yams." I say.  
"Well hello, Yams I’m Jean." He waves a bit as he adds a few more marshmallows.  
"Hi, muffins" I wave and he smiles.  
"Huh, what’s in the box?" He says moving over to it, tapping its side. I look over at Hiss, and we start to laugh.  
"MUFFIANS!" we giggle out insynic. He looks a bit confused...until he opens it. He just stares inside for a couple of seconds. Then he Laughs, tossing his head back (gently) clutching his belly.   
"NO WAY!!" he laughs and we nod at him laughing harder!!!   
"WE -hahahah-PULED-PFfthahah- some -banan-hahhahaha -out for--hahahh YOU!" squeaks out Hiss pointing to the much smaller box we had picked out for him. He laughs harder once he picks it up and looks inside, he's laughing so hard he almost drops the box and has to set it down. He lays he forehead on the table, he growls and then laughs even harder. We fall on the other side of the couch laughing. It’s just so funny!! After a few more minutes of giggling we settle down and he gives us our hot coco. He sits down making sure not to spill his too. Hiss pushes her way into his lap. I scoot closer and kind of sit awkwardly next to him. Would he let me cuddle too? He raises an arm and glances around.  
"If your 'Marco' doesn’t come out of nowhere and knock my lights out, and you don’t punch me. You can cuddle yams." He says smiling at me. I smile, scooting over and wiggling up to his side. I hit play and his arm comes back down. I reach over and grab a few muffins and pass them around. We all giggle at this.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^

 

The hot coco is long gone and muffins had set our cups on the coffee table. We had just gotten to the point where Rose was sing once upon a dream with the prince. I look over at hiss and she’s asleep, crashed out against jeans chest. I look up at muffins and he’s doing that head bob thing you do when you sleepy. I grab the remote and turn the volume waaaaaaay down. Muffins looks at me sleepily and then his head rolls back annnnnnd he’s out. It’s so warm.......and we’ve eaten so may muffins.....and it’s so....and....funny........

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Yummy Bun Notes^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Ahh here we go yams' view on what happened. Two for the price of one!  
Come join us for another cup of coffee!


	5. Chapter 5, Carmel Flan Latte, whole milk please

Chapter 5, Carmel Flan Latte, whole milk please

October 18th Sunday, 4:15pm.

I don’t even bother to go to dorm 3 after getting back to Survey. I passed Moblit sitting at the front nursing a beer. Wooh Hanji away from the desk twice in one day? That can’t be good! Maybe something happened while I was on my way back. I head straight to dorm 2. The door opens just moments after I knock, Sasha opens it with a smile.  
“Hey!” I reply but I’m too busy glancing back behind her and trying to spot Yams to hear what she said. She moves out of the way not even bothered by it. I see Reiner, Bert, Connie, Eld, and Eren all squished on the couch playing some kind of video game. I swing my glace over to the dining area. And finally see yams sitting at the table with Armin. I walk over as she smiles at me. I’m so relieved I just slip into a chair and set my forehead on the tabletop. Yams pats my hair. Armin is shuffling a bunch of pictures around and is handing a few to yams when I look up.  
“Let’s do this one!” says Armin tapping the one on top. Yams snorts.  
“hahaha look at that glare! It’s totally batman!” I try and get a peek, both yams and Armin hold the pictures to their chests.  
“Ah no peeking!” Taunts Armin. Yams shakes a finger at me, clicking her tongue, teh. Oh it must be for the Wednesday “pho-Hump-evening”. No one has any evening classes Wednesday and no one works. It’s our one iron rule. One day where everyone gets together and we sit down and eat. Armin came up with the idea he even named it…he tries so hard. We’ll play games and tell jokes and stories. And Armin dose a slideshow of all the pictures he’s taken since last Wednesday. We vote and pick out the best one and it hangs on the wall of fame. We started it around finals last year. My favorite so far is a picture of yams falling from the top of my shower dressed like a monkey. She had convinced Rei she was strong enough to do a pull up while Armin snapped a picture. The look of pure terror gets me every time. Rei did catch her but... That’s why she isn’t left alone with anyone weak willed to her tactics…like Reiner or Armin….or both. I sit up.  
“So ...What happened?” They both glance at me over the edges of photos. Yams smiles, as she tells me about it. 

 

^^^^^^^^^

 

5:00pm  
Reiner helps her finish.  
“Jeans not such a bad guy, he’s actually really funny.” Oh! His name is Jean?!?! …..I’ll just keep to myself that I thought his name was John. Shoot…how did I mishear that? I really need to apologize now, it’s even worse! I stand up and head back to “Jean’s” room. I stand in front of it for a bit, my hand raised to knock. Out of the corner of my eye the hallway opening is filled with everyone. I knock and…..nothing. I knock a little harder and louder. We all wait….nothing.  
“Maybe he’s taking a shit” chimes Eren. I shrug and try again. Still no answer.  
“Are we sure he’s still in there?” Connie questions, scratching his dome. Sasha and Armin nod.  
“He’s got to be we’ve been at the table and it’s not like he can go invisible.” Yams raises an eyebrow.  
“What if he really is batman?” Everyone finds this hilarious for some reason. I give up while they are all laughing. I’ll catch him tomorrow.

 

^^^^^^^^^

 

October 19th Monday, 5:17am.  
I got up and got ready super-fast. I kissed yams bye, but she’s still dead to the world. Her little bunny clutched tight and covered in drool. I’m gonna have to wash him again soon. I grab my bag, making sure I have everything I need then head out. I wave at Armin sitting looking a little lost as he sips his coffee. I ’m skipping coffee this morning so I can catch Jean before he heads out. I forgot to ask what time his first class is this morning. I head to dorm 2. I knock and it’s answered by a very sleepy looking Connie.   
“What?” he grumbles…   
“Has Jean left yet?” I ask tapping my foot. Connie rubs his face thinking...  
“Ya I think so…. The new coffee pot was all set up and running this morning. … Its weird cuz Jean hates getting up early.” I sigh, dang it. I’ll have to catch him later. I check my phone and have a brilliant idea.   
“Well do you have his number? I’ll text him.” Connie frowns pulling out his phone and scrolls thru it….   
“Dude I don’t have it” he looks a bit shocked. “Guess because we really don’t talk much and there really hasn’t been a need for it.”   
“Does anyone have it?” I ask nod towards the other guy’s rooms. Connie doesn’t even bother walking back.  
“HEY!!” Eld’s door creaks open. Eren’s has a grunt sound from its depths.  
“What?” croaks Eld.  
“ANYONE HAVE JEAN’S NUMBER?” Eld thinks hard and he checks his phone too.  
“No… I don’t…” Eld mumbles. Eren’s room has a no sounding grunt come from his door. Connie turns back to me, shaking his head.  
“No doesn’t look like anyone has it……………..that’s kind of sad huh?” It is, to live with people for a full year and on one have your phone number. Or know your schedule, or seem to have cared before. But I just shrug, judging from the look on Connie’s face he already feels bad enough as it is.   
“I’ll bribe Hanji for it. It’s got to be on record for you to move in.” I say waving as I head down stairs. Hanji sits behind the desk cutting up a ton of newspaper.   
“Morning Hanji! Hey do you have Jean’s number?” Hanji gapes up at me.  
“Sweet freckled Marco has a request of me!?!? Jesus calls for my aid??” Gasps Hanji dramatically. I smile, hopefully Hanji has it. Suddenly Hanji’s face drops.   
“I no longer have it…..he changed his number.” Moans Hanji pulling at their hair.   
“Why?” Hanji twiddles their thumbs…  
“I may or may not have had an influence on that…” I raise an eyebrow.  
“how?” This poor guy…Hanji didn’t  
“I couldn’t help it! He’s got such a fiery temper and he’s so funny when you get him mad….I may or may not have abused the fact that I had his number……. He isn’t a morning person…..” Hanji tails off fidgeting. Poor Jean. I sigh rubbing the back of my neck.   
“Thanks anyway Hanji, Ill check with student information.” I wave heading out. 5:30am. I still have time. I hurry over to the information center.

 

^^^^^^^^^

 

6:29am.   
After having a fight of politeness with the front desk clerk I managed to get a copy of his classes. I run to class. I can NOT be late for Professor Levi’s class. I barely make it on time.   
“Not only do regular people have a problem with tardiness but our resident freckled saint dose too!” He growls. His black look seems darker than it regularly dose. Oh oh. That’s not good. I meekly head back to an empty seat. He slams the door on a student who almost makes it.  
“Due to the fact that my blind date stood me up- I mean that some of you try to find reasons to be late to class, you brats being my first class” he claps his hands and opens them gesturing to all of us.” Get the consequences.” Wait didn’t Eren have a blind date? Huh, must be a popular thing on campus.  
“open your text books and lets get started! Brats!” he calmly threatens. Oh man…

 

^^^^^^^^

 

8:13am.  
I run to the next class set for Jean. It was across campus some kind of art class. I make it just 5 minutes into the class. I look thru the window…..dang it. Oh wait there he is. The two toned muffin. I see him look my way..but with his shade on its hard to see if he saw me. Ooooohhhh he looks bad. Even with his huge shades, you can see the split on the ridge of his nose and lip. I lean closer, worry creases my brows. He looks down and away. Wait did he just avoid me? Wait wait wait….

 

^^^^^^^^

 

9:00am.  
I ended up skipping a lecture, waiting outside his classroom. I nervously tap my foot clutching my book bag closer. Other students file out. There is no class right after this and the professor steps out to get something to eat, giving me a weird look as he walks by me. No jean. He didn’t pass me. I peek inside the classroom. It’s completely empty. No I saw him, he was in this classroom. I see a window in the back open, huh were did he go? I look back at some of the retreating students, a few of them are laughing. Did I miss him?

 

^^^^^^^^^

 

10:44am  
I’m waiting outside of jean's next class. I’m almost 15 minutes early. There is no way he's going to slip past me. I clutch my bag to my chest and check his schedule one more time. I'm just waiting outside of his classroom.....and following him around all day. It’s not stalking. I’m just going to apologize and everything will be fine. This isn’t weird........... Oh god it's weird...I hear a loud bang down the hall. I glance that way....nothing. Huh someone must have slammed a door going in. I tap my foot getting nervous. I have work at noon. I want to catch him before then. I pull out my phone and shoot a message to Reiner.

(marcopolo) -Hey, have you seen Jean? -

(rei)-Yass-

(marcopolo)-get his number for me, please?-

(rei) -Y u need his number? Beaten n bruised do it for you? ;D-

(marcopolo)-No Reiner, this is serious. I need to get a hold of him. Keep missing him.-

(rei)-how u keep missing a 5-7 muffin?

(rei)-...... oh. thats how. srry he escaped-

I sigh and put my phone away. What did he mean he escaped? Did he get called by a professor? I glance around looking for jean, a few students have filed in early but no Jean. Where is he? Did I miss him again? Did he get sick and go home? Or did he get held up someplace?

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Noon. I clock-in reluctantly. I didn’t catch jean before my shift. Is he avoiding me? Maybe we just keep missing each other. I’m trying to apologize... I rub the back of my neck and pull out Jean's dog-eared schedule. I glance over it. Let’s see I could have some else...no it has to be me. I was the one who punched him. I glance up as the coffee shop door opens. Being a few days before fall break and midterms done, it doesn’t get very busy around this time. I smile as Mr. Smith comes in.  
"Oh, Mr. Smith. What will it be today?" I ask politely. He looks over the boards and taps his chin.   
"One of whatever you recommend, and a tall black." I raise an eyebrow as I make his usual first.  
"Who’s the recommended one for?"   
"One of my students ...he’s having a bad ...week."   
"Sounds like he needs a pick me up...so I'll make him something sweet. Sounds like he needs a Carmel Flan Latte, whole milk. “I pull out the proper cup and start.  
"Oh ya by the way Mr. Smith you’re the head of the Fine arts department right?"  
"Yes I am."  
"Do you know a Jean Kerstien? He's 5'7. Has two toned hair and ....he has a set of black eyes. ...." I set the finished coffees in front of him.  
"Yessss? I know Jean. Why may I ask?" I ring him up while I decide how to word it. He sips his coffee.  
"I punched him. ....." Mr. Smith chokes on his coffee.  
"I’m sorry I think I misheard you. You did what to him?"  
"I punched him...and broke his nose....giving him two black eyes...." I trail off embarrassed and pick at the edge of the counter. Mr. Smith stares at me, He laughs sputters something about 'vicious'.   
"Anyway I'm trying to get a hold of him...But I seem to keep missing him....all day." Mr. Smith laughs harder at this.  
"You don’t say?" I nod and he looks thoughtful. "You know he likes coffee right? It’s his weakness... use it."   
"Coffee, Sir?" He nods at me. Hicks, the new guy, drops a stack of cups and I turn to help him pick all of them up. Hmm..  
“ But knowing his weakness is go-“ I say turning back to Mr. Smith. But he’s already gone, I finish my though silently. Knowing his weakness is good and all but what if I can’t get that close? What if he doesn’t want to listen?

 

^^^^^^

 

I get off at the usual time for a Monday, 3:30 pm. I pack my stuff hanging up my uniform. I head slowly back to the dorm. Is following after jean the right thing to do? I still need to apologize but maybe I’m going about it the wrong way. I kick at a can, rubbing the back of my neck. In my coat pocket is jean’s folded schedule, I can feel it burning. It makes a noise each time I move. Do I try again? Should I? I tried didn’t I? So it should be enough right? And yams already said she was sorry for the whole misunderstanding. If I can’t get a hold of him it’s ok right? I did try t-  
“Giving up already, Marco?” Mina’s voice whispers to my left. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end as I turn to look.   
Sasha, its just Sasha standing there. She smiles at me tilting her head.   
“What?” I whisper at her, but…it was..?  
“I said -giving up already, Marco?” She repeats. Mina used to say that, all the time, when we were younger. She always seemed to know growing up when I was ready to give up. Why would Sasha say that? I shake my head that’s not important. I pull out jeans schedule.   
“No, I’m not ready to give up just yet,” I softly announce. Sasha rustles a chip bag she has clutched to her chest. I check jean’s schedule again, he doesn’t have another class until 7pm. Would he go to the library or someplace else? The dorm? Or a job?  
“He’ll be hanging around the dorm,” She rustles the chip bag a bit, readjusting. I wave over my shoulder at her as I head back a bit faster now. I’ll keep at it until I apologize correctly.  
“Thanks Sasha!” I call back as I round the corner. I see the building up ahead.   
She moves the chip bag up to her ear, crunching the chips a bit.   
“don’t thank us yet……eh Mina?”

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

I check the time 4:13 I hop up the steps to the dorm. I wave at Hanji as I walk in. Hanji is starring off toward the stairs going up.  
“what’s wrong Hanji?” They point.  
“Jean looked really sad just now…”   
“Jean?!” Hanji nods at me. I run after him. I huff it up the stairs two at a time. Pause outside his door and catch my breathe. I knock. Its opens, showing wary golden eyes surrounded by bruised flesh…..Jean! I smile, he slams the door.  
“GO AWAY!” he yells thru the door. No no no that’s not good!  
“JEAN PLEASE I WAN”- he cuts me off  
“No!” I lean against the door, setting my hand on the knob.  
“Please” I say softly. I need to do this I can’t give up. I hear Eld dimly on the other side. I can’t tell what he says.   
“why would he care now?” I hear jean yell.  
“Jean I’m really s-“ He slams something against the door and I stop. I listen, what’s going on? Jeans talking but I cant make it out.  
“WHY?” Jean screams from the other side of the door. I open my mouth to speak but he just repeats it.  
“WHY?” I hear Eld rumble again. Jeans says something back it sounds very angry.  
“WHY SUDDENLY START TO CARE WHEN YOU NEVER CARED BEFORE?” My hand falls off the knob. I feel my bag fall off my shoulder, and I swallow back emotions as I hear jean break on the other side of the door. “IS IT BECAUSE YOU REALIZED IT’S ALL AN ACT? IS IT BEACUE I RAISED A KID?! AND THAT MAKE IT OK TO TALK TO ME?! IS IT BECAUSE YOU GUYS FINALLY TOOK A DAY TO UNDERSTAND ME? IS IT BECAUSE YOU ALL FEEL BAD NOW THAT SOMEONE WANTS TO TRY TO TALK TO ME? IS IT BECAUSE YOUR REALIZE YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME?” His voice drops and I bite my lip at the amount of despair in his voice, I’m sorry jean. I’m sorry that I didn’t meet you sooner. That it took a misunderstanding for this to happen. “Is it because you don’t know me at all or give me a chance?”  
“IS IT?” stop please jean their trying, I’m trying… But you have to let us in….let us try. Please jean.  
“Stop trying to get so close to me. I haven’t needed you guys before why would I need you now? Why would I need anyone in my life? Just leave me alone, like always. Just stay out of my life," His voice cracks, " and I will stay out of yours." I lean on the other side of the door, I wipe my eyes. I hear the slam of a door…. I step back grabbing my bag. …..I twist the handle and push the door open.huh he didn’t lock it. Eld is standing by the door. He looks hurt and ashamed. I look around. Eren sits at the table chewing on his lip eyes down, hands clenched. Connie stands next to the couch a shaky Yams in his arms, the TV, flickers forgotten. From the back we hear a muffled scream. I clear my throat.  
“Everyone go stay in dorm 3,” I say softly. Eld turns to me his hands up raised.  
“We….never knew…..we just “his voice cracks. I shake my head.  
“I’ll stay….I’ve just meet jean …it’ll be less …” Eld nods.   
“Grab your bags and some clothes…I don’t know how long it will take him to calm down.” Eld grabs Eren’s arm. Eren and Eld collect their bags from their rooms and try to ignore the sounds of sobbing. Yams whimpers and clutches onto Connie. He pats her back.  
“We’re the ones at fault aren’t we?” Connie softly asks as Eld and Eren head up stairs.   
“it goes both ways….if no one says anything…… No one knows.” He nods, grabbing his bag off of the couch. Yams looks at me biting her lip.  
“are you gonna stay?” She mumbles at me. She looks like she trying not to cry. “he needs a Marco…like I did…….” she whispers. I kiss her forehead before Connie carries her up. I set my bag down, hang up my jacket. You know he likes coffee right? Ok so first things first. I start up the new coffee pot. I pour two big mugs. I set those with a few muffins on a tray. I carry everything down the hall. I set the tray off to the side of the hallway. I sit down with my back against his door, leaning against it I can feel it shake with his heaving breathes. He’s sitting on the other side. The only thing separating us is his door. I sigh and wipe my eyes. Just open up a bit Jean, please.

 

^^^^^^^

 

I check my watch. 7pm. I lean my forehead on my knees, my legs drawn up to my chest, arms clutched around them. It’s silent on the other side of the door. He quieted down around 5:56pm. The coffee in my cup was long gone the other was cold. I can hear his soft breathing against the wood. I think he fell asleep. I wonder how long it’s been since he’s let himself let out any of it out. How long has he kept it bottled up like that? I’m so tired…..I stretch my neck and let my head rest on the wood behind me. My back aches. Giving up already, Marco? No I won’t.


	6. Chapter 6 Yuban, homebrewed, as sweet as humanly possible, please.

Chapter 6 Yuban, homebrewed, as sweet as humanly possible, please.   
October 20th, Tuesday, 8?pm

The world fell out from beneath me. Or to be more specific jean opened his door, causing me to fall backwards. I slam into the ground yelping. I stare up at him form between his feet, the back of my head throbbing. Its dark but I can still make out his mask of bruises and the Carmel color of his eyes. It really is a pretty color, wonder if it’s natural? We stare at each other for a few seconds. Both of us a bit surprised and in shock over this turn of events. I reach up to ....to do what? I’m not sure but before I can figure it out. He jumps, attempting to get over me I think, but it’s a blind jump and he clips the doorway, falling on to my legs. His feet tangle with mine and I reach to help steady him. Please don’t let him fall on his already abused face. That would be very bad, like ‘caved in face’ bad. He dodges my reaching hands and zips off down the dark hallway. He is quicker than I would have given him credit for earlier today, he has that type of ‘I don’t do more than I have too’ look.  
"Jean wait!" He’s booking it to the door, and I scrabble after him. For a fairly big guy I can move if I want to (I think yams added a +5 to my agility when she moved in).  
"Jean! Please!" God I sound so despite. He pauses his hand on the knob, but he doesn’t turn around to look at me, still facing the door his head is ducked a little bit.  
"Why?" his voice is hoarse. "You don’t have to apologize." He starts to pull the door open when in a moment of true desperation, I slam it closed. My arms on either side of him, my palms flat against the wood of the dorm door. Ok think ...think....If he’s ready to bolt I have to try and calm him down.   
"Jean, I’m sorry." I keep my voice as even as I can, keep calm Marco keep calm. "I’m sorry for not talking to you sooner. I’m sorry for wanting to apologize. I’m sorry for hitting you. I’m sorry for everything. I am sorry." I hear the knob clutched in his hand groan a little bit as he tightens his grip on it. Is he trying to leave? Or did he grip it tighter unconsciously?  
"Cool, your forgiven, now let me leave." I sigh, my breath hitting the top of his head, brushing his lighter top locks around. Ah he’s not listening….well he is but he’s not understanding me.   
"Jean." He leans his head on the door. I lean away from his slim build, giving him room. Pulling my hands from either side of him. "All I’m asking is to just talk to me." He huffs, starting to twist the knob. Oh gosh he can’t leave yet! If he leaves now nothings fixed!! AGHHHH learn to understand the English coming from my mouth please Jean! Ok so he’s not getting ‘human’…….. Treat him like an animal. He … (heh). He’s like a cat. Show disinterest and he’ll follow. Hopefully. Um.. think Marco! What can you use to make him make him pause long enough to start the ‘cat luring’....let’s see. Umm. ....Coffee!!!   
"Wh-” he starts.  
"I made coffee. Want a cup?" I cut him off and walk towards the tray in the hall, like I’m not scared he’ll bolt the second I turn my back. It’s so different from what he was expecting that he has to stop and try to see what I’m going to do. I hope. And…. I can feel him watching me as I carry it back to the table setting it down. I glance at him and he’s turned back to the door. Ah, don’t try to hide that bit of interest, kitty-cat. He’s just standing there facing the door, on hand on the knob the other clutching the edge of his shirt. But he’s watching me out of the corner of his eyes. I pick up the two mugs dumping the cold one out. Let him come to me…he’s not used to being chased. I assume? I mean ya I gathered he didn’t have a lot of friends from earlier. But someone has to like him right?  
“Why not reheat it?” he asks, then seems shocked that he even acknowledged what I was doing. I see him almost mentally kick himself. Asking why he had asked me a question. Gotcha! Now reel him in gently..slowly…  
“And ruin the taste of a perfectly brewed cup of coffee?” I smile at him as I pour new coffee into the mugs. Setting them on the counter. He’s still very tense but it’s a bit less...he’s weakening...Slightly.  
“My boss would kill me.” I pause pulling out a small carton of cream and a few other possible fixings. He’s turned toward me slightly, but his hand is still on the knob.   
"Sugar? Cream?" He pulls the door open just a little bit. No No No please just listen (and understand) me. It’s only open a little bit. I can work with a little bit.  
"Please, just one cup....jean?" He looks at me then at the cups are on the counter. I’m very careful to not move as he chooses. I see him weighing the risks. Coffee = forced talking and emotional things. No coffee=escape and no talking. “Will you walk into my parlor?” Said the Spider to the Fly*. No nothing so evil, jean. Just coffee and a talk.  
"I’m very good at making coffee......." I meet his eyes and we stare at each other for a while. He swallows thickly and I can tell he’s trying to not cry again. “I’m sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high; will you rest..?” said the Spider to the Fly.  
“I don’t know how to handle ...... whatever this is.... “He admits very softly, the door slips closed a few centimeters. I smile and tilt my head slightly at him.   
“Drinking coffee?” I ask as I turn to fix my cup, I avoid the subject he worried about. The door closes a bit more. The Spider turned him (self) round about, and went into his den for well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again. He raises an eyebrow, giving me a look that seems like he’s questioning my sanity. I’m sure he would freak if he knew I was quoting ‘the Spider and the Fly’. The whole convincing him thing makes me feel like the Spider. He shakes his head, gesturing to around the empty and dark dorm. He swallows again.  
“With people....and after what happened today......I....” he stops, biting his bottom lip. The door slides into the frame. Gently, Marco don’t startle him. I leave out any creamer, and just add in sugar to my coffee. I humm’d at him.  
“why is it so quiet?” He asks, avoiding eye contact.  
“I sent everyone to stay in dorm 3.” I taste my coffee and add a bit more sugar. His hand drops from the knob. YES! I’m very careful to not let that inner fist pump show. He turns to face me fully, pulling his headphones off making eye contact the whole time. Poor little Fly..or cat…Jean. You have become caught in my parlor by coffee and soft words….and freckles (Because no one can resist freckles they are the answer to everything).  
“Why?” he chokes out.  
“Because, I knew you needed some time to yourself.” His eyes bug out of his head, boring into the side of my head.   
“So they didn’t hear....” He trails off eyes downcast, glaring at the ground.  
“No they didn’t” I say softly.  
“So... why are you here?” He clutches at the hem of his shirt, he glares harder.  
“I stayed to make sure you were ok” I say setting my cup aside and pulling his cup closer.  
“Why?” Ah he’s in his ‘why’ phase as the early childhood classes liked to refer to it as. Well the class says you’re meant to answer until they stop.  
“Because I was worried”   
“Why?” Dang..this was harder than they said it would be. A Lot harder.   
“Because I worry that’s what I do, worry and sport freckles.” He makes a small noise, and I can’t tell if it’s a laugh or not. “Cream or sugar?” I repeat gesturing to his cup. He pauses before answering.  
“Just make whatever.....” I add a lot less sugar to his and swirl in a bit of cream and a dash of vanilla extract. I can’t help it the coffee making runs in my veins at this point. I set it before the chair on the other side of the table, so he feels less caged. I push the muffins off the tray leaving them in the middle. I place the tray by the sink (after rinsing it off of course. I’m a good guest/host) and take a seat with my coffee. He slowly trails over, I’m careful to not make it seem like I’m watching …studying him as he sits (on the edge of course) in his chair. His two tone hair, lighter on top with a dark colored under cut is messy, his pale skin makes his bruises look worse. Little studs run up his right ear, a (industrial bar I think their called? Eren said something about them one time) and few stray studs lay scattered down his left. He has a set of snake bites with a split in the middle of his lip. Looks like it was busted. His Carmel colored eyes are focused and flit around checking his surroundings. I don’t say anything I let him lead. We follow your lead kitty-cat.... he reaches for his coffee. He sips it a bit, then the tension leaks out of him and he takes a proper drink of it. He does that little eye close thing and just cradles the cup. I get the feeling if I wasn’t in the room he would moan.  
“It’s good...” I smile at his admission. I'm quiet for a little bit...until i realize i skipped a step in politeness. Mina would be appalled at me. She always pushed courtesy and i just dive bombed past step one (or to be more politically correct I round house punched past it).   
“I’m Marco Bodt.” I smile at him. He looks ups kind of startled at my break of the silence. “I realized we haven’t actually met.” He raises another eyebrow, his distrust slipping back a bit.  
“Jean Kerstien.” We’re silent as we drink coffee, his distrust fadeing but, I can see some other emotion building and bothering. He taps the side of his mug in a quick beat. Do I say something? His eyes darken and his glare sharpens.....ya I’ll say something.  
“What’s wrong?” I ask softly....gently no rushing le wild jean. He sighs, running a hand over his face.  
“I-......I.....” he growls a bit. “I fucked up, I snapped..I yelled at Eld, who was just trying to help me out.....and I ...I...” He grips the mug tightly. “I fucking cried....” he whispers. He looks so ashamed at the last bit.  
“So?” I raise an eyebrow at him. He looks up at me shocked. “You’re human. It’s natural to cry and yell and get mad. It sounds like it was a long time coming...at least from what I heard thru the door.” He glares a bit. But I don’t think he’s mad I think it’s his ‘go to’ face.” Everyone has realized that what they had done was wrong. None of you guys gave each other a chance. It’s about time for things to change....’Sides if you’re worried about everyone seeing past your ‘bad boy’ thing you already lost that. Yams saw to that...” He stares at me as if it’s the first time someone has told him that....and I realize maybe it is. He dose kind of ooze bad boy, but he’s all awkward under it. It’s a very ...unique combination.  
“But ....I- I..I-” he says avoiding eye contact. I lean forward looking at him.  
“Jean its ok, no one’s gonna bring it up if you don’t want to talk about it. But would you be willing to let them try?” He sighs rubbing his face again, avoiding eye contact still. He inhales a deep shuddery breath as if he’s trying not to cry again.  
“I’m not good with people.....” he mutters. I scoff at him.  
“You tamed yams....you’ll do fine.” He smirks at me, then his grin fades.  
“I’m sorry I never meant to cuss in front of her....” He points over behind him to the couch “Connie was playing a video game with yams. I didn’t know her then and I couldn’t see her over the couch, I heard some sneezing and sniffling, I thought it was Connie." He shrugs. "I said it was fucking gross and told him not to get me sick bitch." ....ah that’s why yams thought he had called her a bad word....  
“If I were you, freckles I would have punched me too...with the way it looked.. it did look like I had hit her..and with the way she said it...” I grimace, poor word use Yams.  
“She could have worded that a bit better....” I grimaced again as I agreed.”... A lot better. I’m sorry by the way about your face. Again...” He laughs, he sounds so much nicer laughing.   
“Its fine...I get punched all the time. Bad with people remember?” He smirks. What he’s not that bad, maybe a little prickly and awkward and all but he’s funny.   
“No I don’t think you’re that bad,” I wave his comment off. He gives me a disbelieving look. My stomach rumbles and I blush a bit. Shoot it has been a while since I last ate. I grab a muffin from the pile that I had pushed off the tray. He snorts, and then grimaces in pain. I open one up as he smoothers a laugh.  
“What?” I ask biting into it. He points to the muffin. He puts his head on the table. Oh it’s a muffin thing...that reminds me…  
“Yams talked about the muffin man for hours yesterday....” He’s shaking on the other side of the table, and it jiggles the cups. I cheer inside giving myself a round of applause. Introducing Marco the spotted comedian. Thank you thank you I’m here til Thursday! But wait for the punch line, Jean.  
“Do you actually smell like bananas?” I ask he shakes harder. Nodding agent the table. Yams had mentioned it...I had to know.   
“Cit-Pfttt found some—pfft and gave it to me pfftttt for my birthd-hahahahhaha”. He sputters into the wood. I laugh, oh gosh well there-bam- all of his future gifts are doomed to be banana related. Future gifts? Yes ...future gifts, I wouldn’t mind having Jean as a friend. I’m big on giving to my friends. It doesn’t help the whole freckled Jesus thing. Eren said I should have been born in December, heh no that’s ok. I like my birthday being half way thru the year. Although I do look good in red…but it’s so hard on me to grow a long beard I couldn’t do it. I glance up and realized I had wondered off into my thoughts again. Jean had said something, after sitting up.  
“What?” I ask embarrassed he had caught me lost in thought.   
“So I said is yams ...yours?” He asks turning his cup. I blink woo already asking personal questions?   
“Yes, and no...I am her guardian. My sister and her husband died at the start of this year....and ....ya..” I summarized skipping over all the ugly bits and the rest of the nightmare. He doesn’t need to know all of it…. even Armin doesn’t. He smacks a hand to his forehead.  
“I’m sorry, that was a stupid question. I’m sorry...I...god such a fucking retard jean.....” The last bit he mutters quietly. I smile, see he’s better then he thinks at this whole friend making thing.   
“It’s fine...you don’t know if you don’t ask...” I finish the last of my muffin. Shoot now its awkward…hmmm lets lighten the mood back up a bit...  
”want to know something?” He tilts his head at me as he slumps in his seat getting comfortable.  
“I thought your name was John...for almost two days.” He laughs. Then he looks at me smirking.  
“What to know something back?” I nod. Oooh this is a good step. Good job Jean!  
“I thought you were an aggressive, violent kinda asshole..” I laugh clutching my belly, dying.   
“That’s the first time!! Everyone always says I’m too nice!!” His smirk grows to what could be called a friendly grin.  
“I don’t know, you punch like a boxer.” He grabs his nose and we laugh, I toss a muffin at him. My stomach growls. FOOD THUS I REQURE. It wants more than the blueberry muffin I had.   
“ughhh I need real food.” I stand up and walk over to the fridge. I pull it open as he sips and once again I’m sure he would moan at his cup if I wasn’t here. Thank you Mr. Smith thou words of wisdom doth bestowed a great power over thine mortal Jean. I’ll have to use it wisely. And I’ll give Mr. Smith a free coffee or something.   
“How’d yams get Eren to start cooking for her?” I glace over at him while I pull it open. I look inside... eww how old is that box? Gross, its growing things in it. I chuck that into the trash as I think back.  
“She answered the phone when Eren’s ‘blind date’ had called. Although, I don’t know if you could call it a blind date as they talk on the phone and online every once in a while. He swore her to silence and in return he cooks for her. He learned to cook form his mom, it was his only bargaining chip. So blackmail…my sweet yams is a blackmailer…” I lamented as I grabbed out a casaba sausage and a bunch of left overs. I tossed them onto the counter. I pull of a bottle of sweet chili sauce setting it up there too, this is the nectar of the gods. It’s like saracha sauce. It makes everything better….well save- .. no ya it makes everything better.  
“hey she’s not all that sweet,” he points at me,” she’s got some spice.” I gasp dramatically as I grab a pot, clutching my poor heart. What sacrilege is this?  
“NO!” I fill it with water and set it on the stove. He does that painful snort/ laugh thing again, while I turn the burner on, I have to fiddle with it a bit. This one always is a bit off temperature wise.  
“Ouch! Ahh …. Ya she has a rotten streak.” I smile at that. I grab a box of noodles from the pantry…hmm open how old are these? I check the date and see my initials scribbled next to them. Hey I bought these! Eh who’s the food thief? ........ SASHA…I narrow my eyes, always Sasha. I set MY box of noodles on the counter, focusing back on the conversation with Jean.  
“You haven’t seen her and Reiner on a ‘kick yet’…it gets so salty with that much sass” I pour the noodles in as the water boils. Oh gosh the last time they went sassy at something we all about dehydrated from all the salt floating in the air. We no longer allow ‘say yes to the dress’ to be aired in dorm 3 for a reason.   
“Want some?” I ask politely. Even if he says no… I’m making him some. He looks like he could do with food. Oh now I sound like an Italian mother. More meat on them bones..too skinny.  
“Uh sure? …but I don’t know if….I don’t know if I could face Cena again.” I pause, pulling out the sausage and cutting it up on the little cutting board. I run what he said over again.  
” Cena…like the wrestler? John Cena?”  
“Oh….ya know he’s one solid muscle …and he’s blonde..” he trails off as I laugh. That’s so funny…Cena. Hahaha.  
“Why would you not be able to face him?” He coughs into his hand.  
“I jumped out of a window to escape him….” I think back to one of the texts I had gotten from Reiner. 

(rei)-...... oh. thats how. srry he escaped-

Ah. So that’s what Rei had meant. I pull out a skillet and toss the sausage in, along with a bunch of the sweet chili sauce. My stomach blesses the food with a low chanting rumble.  
“That’s very hardcore…” He laughs shaking his head.  
““I landed on a dumpster, and a bag exploded…it was fucking gross.” I laugh stirring the sausage letting the sauce caramelize on the meat. MY mouth waters at the smell. It’s not cooking fast enough...   
“You think he’s mad about that?” I glance over at him, idly flicking at the edge of his cup.   
“No he’s probably more impressed...” I toss some of the leftovers in with the sausage chunks. Let’s see we have some bell peppers, some left over Chinese, a scrambled egg mix that never got cooked(well it was getting cooked now) and some banana peppers (the ones that come in a pizza box). I mix it up really well and I hear Jean’s stomach rumble an answer to mine across the room.   
“What the hell are you making? It smells fucking delicious” I grin as I toss a bit of macaroni in, and some cheese for good measure. I toss everything into the drained pot with noodles and mix it together. Double trouble, cauldron bubble… I slam heaping piles onto two plates. For a touch of finesse I plop a dollop a giant dollop of sour cream on top.  
“It’s called fried spaghetti” I announce setting a plate heaping with the mixture in front of him. He looks over the mini mountain of food at me.   
“What the fuck?” I slide him a fork.   
"Don’t knock it til you try it...it’s good..." he digs in hesitantly. 

 

^^^^^^^^^

 

"Aguuhhh so much food...." Jean groans as I wash off our plates. He’s clutching his stomach. "But so fucking good!" I laugh as he smothers a yawn. It’s working...  
"It’s a classic dish, created and cooked by many collage kids for centuries." He smirks at me or my comment I’m not sure.  
"Oh thank you master smart ass." he rolls his eyes. Ah he doubts my wise and ancient knowledge.  
"Learn you must, become Jedi you will." I shoot back, this young pad wan will learn. He laughs and it makes me smile that he’s a bit of a nerd under all of that ‘punk’ look. Or maybe it just because everyone knows master yoda.   
"First shot?" he asks raising a slim brow at me. I dry my hands, leaning back against the counter, see he is a nerd. I called it. His multiple earrings and piercing notwithstanding, I can smell another geek. We just have a feel or ‘aura’ as Armin puts it.  
"Clearly the first shot was made by Hans." He smirks at me. I feel that his main facial expressions are glare, smirk and laughing….mostly glare (or smirk if he comfortable). He yawns again slumping a bit in his chair. Hmm how long has he been awake?  
"Oh yeah what time did you get up, I got up around 6 to try and catch you before class but you had already left." He tries to smother another yawn, and his eyes slip closed a bit.   
"Like 3. Smith offered me a place to work so I can make a sculpt for the upcoming gallery." He IS yawning a lot.  
"You’re going to be in the gallery?" He nods sleepily. Wow that’s really cool! "Isn’t that like a big thing?" I tilt my head trying to meet his line of sight so he’ll answer faster.  
"Yeah, it’s huge." He rubs his eyes doing the same things yams dose when she getting ready to fall asleep at the table.   
"I’m doing a few paintings and then a sculpted piece." I nod as he completes a few sets of slow blinks, then dose the thing where he opens them really wide. I chuckle and picture him with little toothpicks keeping his lids up like wily coyote. His angry expression all the time totally fits, keep missing that roadrunner eh jean?   
"Come on, let’s get you to bed." I don’t move just jerk my chin towards his room, as he nods. He’s a big boy and he should be able to make it (hopefully)…but I’ll stay until I’m sure he’s made it. Just to be on the safe side. I said it didn’t I? I worry and sport freckles...and I’ve got the freckles covered.  
"Sure thing freckles." He stands and sways as he stretches. Oh he has his bellybutton pierced. Oh, that’s sex- No bad Marco bad! Don’t ogle, its rude. How would he feel if he realized you just checked him out? Wait dose he even know I’m gay? He finishes and starts to walk back to his room. Oh he’s sluggish, maybe he won’t make it? He pauses and looks back at me. He clears his throat.  
"Marco?" I smile at how sheepish he looks. "Thank you." he blushes and turns around towards the hall. Oh… "For the coffee and for everything else..." he zips down the hall. Oh that’s not fair….a cute expression like that? Where did that come from? I get the distinct impression he doesn’t know I’m gay. Most straight guys don’t show a look like that if they know you’re gay… I think it’s kind of like they don’t want to give the impression their interested right? It tends to make them nervous…poor straight guys…thinking their hot stuff that anyone would want to jump them. I feel sorry for some of the girls (like Miss Mikasa), they get it worse from straight guys. Ah! Back to the question of Jean. What if he freaks? He’s funny so I do want to be his friend. It’s not like I’m going to jump the guy! As I’m fairly sure he’s doesn’t swing my way. But what if he reacts badly? I don’t hide it…but it’s not like I have it tattooed on my forehead.  
"You’re welcome Jean, Sleep tight” I said down the hall at him, jumping out of those thoughts. Politeness, it’s my motto. There’s a pause before he says anything and its quiet but I can still hear it.  
"you too.” What happened to the asshole Eren always complained about? I huff at that grabbing my bag and jacket. I twist the lock before I close the door so it locks behind me. Step one complete. Allow the animal to come to you.  
I unlock the dorm cautiously; I’m not sure what time it is I wasn’t really payed attention to the time when I was talking with Jean. I open the door and get ambushed by everyone. They all start shouting at once pulling me inside.   
“WHAT HAPPENED?”   
“well-”  
“WHAT DID HE SMELL LIKE?”   
“Sme-?”  
“DID JEAN REALLY CRY?”   
“that’s not-”  
“DID HE GET MADDER?”  
“n-”  
“DID HE PUNCH YOU?”  
“Wha-?”  
“WAS HE AN ASS?”  
“N-!”  
“DO WE LIKE JEAN?”  
“HANG ON!” I bellow over everyone. I’m almost deaf from all the questions shouted at me. I shake my head and hold up my hands to my temples, rubbing away a sudden migraine. They are all leaning forward at me still, wide eyed. Everyone is here. I mean everyone. Connie, Sasha, Eren and Miss Mikasa, Armin, Reiner, Berthold and Annie (she must have been called in by Bert). Eld, his boyfriend Gunther (we don’t really talk much, even though he dose live in dorm 4 above us) his roommates Mike, and Mylius. Moblit (who lives in Dorm 1 with Hanji on the first floor, he helps watch the desk) Samuel and Luke ( who both also lives in dorm 1, and are very rarely seen, and I guess this warrants it?) and even Hanji who was holding Yams. (Which makes me wonder who’s at the desk). I sigh and they lean forward more.  
“Jean got upset at the sudden interest in him, once everyone realized he wasn’t a bad guy. No one’s cared before, and yes it did upset him. Especially, because I was trying to apologize. It’s not anyone’s business if he cried or not. I didn’t really smell him, Mike, so I’m not sure what he smelled like? He wasn’t mad, just more embarrassed. No he didn’t punch me. And no, Eren he wasn’t an ass. I guess we like Jean? I think he’s funny? I’m going try to be his friend at least. Oh! I kind of promised him no one would bring up what happened today unless he brings it up first? And I still think everyone needs to sleep elsewhere until tomorrow…..?” They all seem to relax during my debriefing. Yams pipes up.  
“So he’s not sill mad at everyone?” I smile at her.  
“No..and I think he’s willing to try and be friends….” Sasha dose a little wiggle. Hanji squeals.  
“I knew Marco could tame Jean!” I smoother a laugh.  
“No he just needed someone to …” Bribe him with coffee? Shoot I can’t let his secret about coffee slip. It’s too powerful. “Understand and try and be his friend?” They all look at me doubtful. Eren scoffs and adds in loudly.  
“No, it’s because you’re a freckled Saint.” Everyone nods in agreement and mummers amongst themselves. Shoot, Eren Just dug me a grave. A holy grave.  
“Blessed and holy he is.” No…I’m just polite. It’s a common practice.  
“No doubt.” Please don’t encourage them Armin.  
“This is the 4th miracle Saint Marco has performed.” What? 4th Miracle? What about the other 3? What were they?  
“Praise Jesus!” Oh gosh no! Please don’t start a worship service over this Sasaha. A chorus of Halleluiahs rings out. Really guys?  
“Wait but Yams did it too!” Protests Connie. Miss Mikasa and Hanji exchange a look, then glance down at Yams. Who twists in Hanji’s arms and yells over the ‘service’.  
“PAY UP! MARCO DID IT!”  
“It’s the devils influence.” Annie deadpans. People laugh and some groan as they dig out their wallets.  
“WHAT?” I yelp. “No Yams isn’t…” But it’s a little hard to deny as money is exchanged around the dorm. I rub my forehead as the little gambling hostess racks in her latest booty. 

 

^^^^^^

11pm. everyone has trickled off after it was settled that Yams is the anti-Saint sent to balance me, and that we now like Jean; and that yes for some reason Jean would look good in Olive green (Annie needed to know, and I feel that he’s going to get something knitted soon). I had sent yams back to bed after that, Armin and I helped Eren with his homework. Dorm 4 and dorm 1 decided to go drinking to celebrate this ‘historic event.” The rest of them (being too young or not interested in drinking) started a serious (and some not so serious) discussion of how to approach Jean, while being scattered around the living room. I smile and head back once Eren said he ‘no longer needed a holy guide’ for his essay draft.  
I open my door slowly and see yams sitting in Mina’s armchair her legs pulled up to her chest. She’s got her bunny clutched in her hands and she looks a little upset and teary. She looks up at me, her hair undone and hanging over her shoulders in a big shirt (one I’m once again positive it’s one of mine….). It appears Marco approved (and owned) shirts are a very hot commodity. I could start a brand. Picture it, my smiling freckled face on the label. I’d name it ‘Friendly Freckled Marco’s Hand Picked Shirts’ So comfortable people will steal them from you, we guarantee it.  
“Hey” she mutters. I smile and close the door.  
“Bad dream?” She ducks her head and kicks out her legs, shifting her butt over she makes room for me. I toss my books into the desk and kick off my shoes. She pats the seat.  
“Come my freckled brethren…..” I laugh as I squish her over to the side with a hip so she giggles. Oh my bad yams I didn’t see you, heh. I can’t help it … she needed to laugh. She huffs and switches to sitting on my lap instead. She leans her head on my chest, not saying anything. She doesn’t have too though. I know what nightmare is bothering her. It’s the same one she always has trouble with. The dream of the day of the crash. Of the drive home in the car after they all had taken that short drive out. Of the crash…. from yam’s perspective in the back seat.

 

^^^^^^ Yummy Bun Notes^^^  
OH GOD. I didn’t expect for it to get so dark there at the end. But I just couldn’t do a sweet ending to the day…it wasn’t working... I’m sorry. Fudge it, read Jean’s chapter. His ends on a happy note. Not this depressing yams flavored sadness... I know it’s horrible of me to end it this way but there is a reason for all this I swear. It will get much sweeter….  
On a positive note its funny because I can’t say ‘Sheepish’ unless I talk like Sean Connery.   
*Marco is quoting “the Spider and the Fly” by Mary Howitt.  
Come join us next time for another cup of coffee please!


	7. Chapter 7, two Café’ Mocha with Raspberry please.

October 20th, Tuesday, 4:ooam

Chapter 7, two Café’ Mocha with Raspberry please.

I hit the alarm as I roll out of bed careful to no squish yams. I had put her back in her bed with Annie once she had fallen asleep again, but sometime in the wee hours of the morning. She had crawled into mine. Yams groans burrowing deeper into the blankets; in the bunk above her Annie flicks open a pale blue eye at me and then realizing it was just me she closes it. I smile, assessed and dismissed as not threat to anyone, classic Marco... I yawn grabbing clean clothes and set Yams’ bunny back on the bed with her. I leave the light off in the room and close the bathroom door behind me. I flick on the light above the little sink. I check my face in the mirror, nope still no need to shave. As baby faced as ever! Armin a cried when I told him…he has to shave or he gets this creepy little mustache thing. Its very funny…Eren convinced him to let it grow one week. The following ‘Pho-hump day’ Armin’s lip furry seized him first place in the ‘photo of the week’ contest. It was so funny. I snort as I wash my face. I pat it dry (because wiping make your skin dry) and shrug on my shirt. I comb and re-fix my hair slicking down a few cow-licks. I pause and actually look at myself. I don’t really look in the mirror all that often. I dislike too. I look a lot like my sister, sometimes it’s too much and it hurts. I don’t know how yams feels about it. I can at least avoid my own reflection. My hair naturally parts in the middle it’s a dark brown, my eyes are the same chocolate color a Yimr’s. Mina’s coloration was darker than mine*…her hair and eyes almost black, and she managed to miss the freckled train (although yams got it). But our features are the same. The rounded nose, the hair part, the wide eyes. I sigh…flicking off the light. After grabbing the books and items I need for my first few classes and keeping my shoes off I sneak out. No one else has classes this early, so I’m careful to not make a lot of noise. I see Connie crashed out of the couch, and I decide to skip breakfast until later. So I don’t wake him up. I slip on my coat and my shoes. And edge the door open and head out.

 

^^^^^^^^^^

 

7:13am I open to door to the dorm after finishing my first two classes for this morning. It really is not fun to have to get up so early…but I need keep a set amount of Credit hours going. I so can’t wait until tomorrow! I get to sleep in!! Sweet sleep! I yawn and glancing up I see Armin and Connie at the table, Sasha leaning over the back of the couch talking to Connie.  
“Hey. Morning!” I say. Connie nods at me and drinks his coffee sleepily. Armin is reading a book on coding but he still waves at me.  
“Morning! Already finish your morning classes?” Sasha chirps over at me.   
“Yep! I got the last of my midterms done today and I don’t have any more classes beside a few review classes and one more midterm this evening.” I nod smiling at her as I place a set of pop tarts into the toaster. I grab a mug of coffee and fix it up. Armin puts his book down.  
“I’m picking up food for ‘pho-hump day’ is there anything you or Ymir want?” I think on it sipping my coffee.  
“Hmmm what about some stuff to make nachos?” Sasha oohs at this and then adds in.  
“AND MORE CHIPS!”  
“We already have chips, Sasha.” I laugh at her pout as Armin shoots her down, grabbing my pop tarts when the shoot up. I bite into one ignoring how hot it is, and moan at the sweetness.  
“Never too many chips on ‘pho-hump day’!” Connie supports Sasha’s choice, she smiles over at him. He coughs a little bit, blushing. Of course Connie would support Sasha, she’s his girlfriend….I think? I mean they act like a couple …are they actually going out? I set that subject aside for later as I finish off my deliciously hot tarts and pull out Yams’ lunch box. I pop the lid and see if she didn’t eat anything….she left the pickles she had picked out of her sandwich yesterday. Ok, no pickles…added to the yams no likie list. After a bit of debate (and checking the list of no likes) I decide what to make her today and start pulling out ingredients. A homemade fajita with chicken and a side of fried rice, a juice box and an apple and a pack of nuts. Well balanced and delicious. I put the uncooked stuff in her bag and I pull out some chicken we had cooked yesterday and cut it up starting on the fajita first.  
“You spoil her too much…I remember getting a pb sandwich for years.” complains Connie. I pull out a tortilla and warm it up so it doesn’t crack when I fold it. I place the chicken, cheese and a few spices in it; folding it closed. I toss it in a skillet and melt everything together making sure the tortilla is sheared closed. I pull out some leftover rice. I raise an eyebrow at him.  
‘Connie you have 4 siblings and you said you always made your own lunches..?” he scoffs and points at me.   
“Exactly!” He says emphasizing it with his already pointing hand. Armin laughs and finishes his coffee. I put what rice yams can eat into the skillet and heat it up. Sasha turns on the TV and flicks on some kind of cartoon. It’s quiet for a little bit. Hmm I wonder if Jeans up yet? He was up super early yesterday. I check the time 7:22am, maybe ...  
“You think Jeans up yet?” Connie chokes on his coffee. I flip the rice around in the pan adding seasonings.  
‘JEAN?!” I nod and he laughs.  
“No way man! He’s usually never up before 8...and even then he’s a ‘no happy in the morning’ kinda guy. More like anything happy before noon is evil…”  
“Really?” I place her fajita in a baggy, and pack the rice into a container, and place both in her lunch box. I grab an ice pack and set it inside too.  
“Tots believe me! Him being up early yesterday was a freaky accident...” I think hard on it. Hmm he did say Mr. Smith had given him a place to work.  
“I thinks that’s because he was excited about starting his project. Shoot maybe he’s gonna leave early again…” I trail off as I look up after grabbing yams backpack, everyone is staring at me slack jawed.  
“What?”  
“AGh you go-t details! Why didn’t y-ou share yesterday? What pr-oject?” I had a hard time choosing who said what as they all kind of said a part of the questions..  
“Uh.. He said he’s going to be in the art show. And Mr. Smith gave him a place to work on his stuff..??”  
“ooooooooooohhh!!” Sasha exclaims “he is really good at painting and stuff! I’m always so jelly at some of his works, sooo pretty!!” Connie humf’d at that.  
“So he’s really good?” I ask over Connie’s jealousy. Sasha practically bounces on the couch bobbing her head.  
“Yep!” hmmm now I’ll have to see if I could get a glance at some of his works. An alarm on my phone goes off. Time to get yams ups. I set her bag by the door and pop another set of pop tarts in the toaster. I head down the hall and open our door slowly. I sit next to yams, and run a hand thru her hair.  
"Yammy its time to get up...” she grunts. I brush hair off her face and she grunts at me again and pushes my hand away. "Come on little spud." she rolls over and scoots away from me. I smile and poke her side. She does a little grunting giggle, and waves my hand off.  
"I’ve got pop tarts in the toaster...." she scoots closer to the wall. “Their strawberry...." I let the bribe hang in the air as she stills. She looks over her shoulder at me.  
"Frosted?" Oh gosh I get the wrong kind one time! She’s still hasn’t let me live it down...  
"Qui" She rolls over to look at me fully, and still lays there just looking sleepily at me. I see the pop tarts working though. She's quiet for a bit longer and then she huffs sitting up. She holds her arms up at me in a universal child -carry me- command. I smile and sweep her up as I stand. She leans against my shoulder as we walk out to the kitchen. She grunts at everyone in the kitchen as i set her down. Connie laughs at the sour look on her face as Armin smiles at her.  
"You know she kinda reminds me of Jean..." Connie remarks, I look over at him as i set yams' pop tarts in front of her. She snorts at him.   
"I’m not..... A muffin." giving him a look to impress it upon him how very wrong he is. That only makes him hold back a fit of giggles. I hate to admit it...but she does a little bit. I check the time. 6:20am.  
"Finish your pop tarts yams and get ready, you have been able to convince Armin you didn’t have to go yesterday but well make it just fine" she avoids eye contact with me and smirks. Armin looks a bit guilty too. Looks like we had both skipped school yesterday. I didn’t get to find out until I had gotten home yesterday, I wasn’t exactly mad as I had done it as well but...I would never tell Ymir I did too. She might get ideas...

 

^^^^^^^^^

 

7: 48am. I wave and smile at Ms. Yeager as we arrive at the school. She greets yams with a smile and turns to me.  
"Good morning Ymir and Marco!" I don’t know how Eren turned out so crazed with his mother being this sweet. It’s also weird with his mother and sister being teachers how he can be so bad at studying. Eren claimed that the teacher gene had jumped him, Sasha had said it’s because he was gonna end up marrying a teacher and it only runs on one side of his family. He had tossed a hotdog at her.  
"We missed Ymir yesterday, but as she had be with Armin I’m sure it was a very good day still." Shoot she knows everything. Armin is so dead when she sees him next. I smile and nod while Yams smirks next to me.  
"Yes....oh I’ve got to pick up some stuff before my fist class! You have a nice day Ms. Jaeger! Bye yams! Oh! Rei is picking you up today!" They both smile at me as I back away, having found an excuse to escape the polite lashing Ms. Jaeger was starting on. Yams waves at me and heads inside.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

8:17am I switch out the books in my bag for the rest of the day. It really sucks to have more classes but in order to keep my scholarships I have to keep a set GPA and a set amount of credits I have to be taking. I sigh as I head out and on my way down the stairs I get a text from Connie.  
(Shinnydome) -dude safe 2 go 2 dorm yet?-   
(marcopolo)- heading there now, con.-   
I laugh at him what am I? A scout? I reach the door and knock loudly. If he’s gone already ill see him in class since we do have the same first (well my 3rd) class today. I pause as jeans schedule crinkles in my pocket. Now I really feel like a creep. I sigh and rub the back of my neck. Shoot maybe it’s too weird to see if he’s here still.....I could just see him in class? I shake those thoughts away. No. I'll see if he’s in so I can give Connie an answer. I start knocking again. I pause and get ready to give up when the door swings open. Jean stands there, messy hair a sleep wrinkled clothes. He grunts and turns away walking over to the coffee pot (that crazy expensive machine that brews two pots. That I heard Eld say Jean had given him money for). He staggers over to the sink once he grabs a pot and fills it with water. Starting the machine. I’m still standing in the doorway with the feeling jean isn't really conscious. More like sleep walking...or the walking dead. His scoops out coffee grounds and fumbles for the start button. He stumbles over to the table and just lets his head hit the table. I winced as his forehead connected with the wood. Good lord, he... I close the door behind me, setting my bag by the door.  
"Wow I didn't believe it but, you really aren’t a morning person," he grunts at me. I walk over to the table and pull out a chair and sit. He’s really quiet. Did he fall asleep? I observe the top of his fantastic bed head. Most people pay a lot of money to style their hair like that and Jean just wakes up looking like a cover model. Sure his face is black and blue but still... he does have a nice fa- the coffee pot beeps and he explodes straight up and walking over to the coffee pot. I about have a heart attack there at the table. Scared the crap out of me! It’s like those moments in horror movies where the heroes think the zombie is dead and inspect it closer and it lunches at them super-fast... Scary! He really likes coffee. He pulls out a mug pouring as much of the black elixir as the mug will hold. He pauses then reaches back into the cabinet and pulls out another mug and pours it too. I tilt my head at him. But he doesn’t see it and starts chugging the first mug. I flinch at how hot that has to be, scalding almost. Jean places the mug he drank from back on the counter and stretches a bit. He turns around abruptly again starts to walk back to his room. Heh, he is defiantly not a morning person. He points to the coffee pot and to the already poured mug that he didn’t drink from (I didn’t have the confidence to think he had poured it for me until just then) as he walks, not even bothering to say anything. I smile after him, English is hard this early I guess? I stand up and wonder over to the coffee pot and the waiting mug. I’m touched that even as tired as he is he still poured me a cup. It adds another reinforced bit of steel to the Jeans a great guy idea, how anyone could think otherwise is beyond me. He’s- what did Sasha say? Crusty exterior and marshmallow insides I think? I add a bit of cream and a few pinches of coco-powder and a dash of cinnamon to the cup Jean had poured me, tasting it to be sure. I don’t even hesitate to refill his cup. I add the same ingredients to his cup as well as a dash of nutmeg (one should never just gulp coffee it’s meant to be enjoyed). As I finish it up, Jean stumbles out looking far more human than he did a few minutes ago. Dressed in skinny jeans a hoodie covered in a leather jacket he oozes the bad boy vibe. I feel frumpy and a little bit lame compared to him. What in my nice guy plaid shirt/ sweater combo..it screams dork. I swallow to hide it and he flops into a chair tossing his bag down his socks and shoes in hand. I smile at him.  
"Morning sunshine." He slips his feet into sock then his shoes and acknowledges my comment with a look. I walk over to the table both mugs in my hands.   
"Freckles." He nods as I set his cup down in front of him. I smile at his little dreamy look at the cup inform of him.  
"I thought you weren’t gonna get up, it’s already," I pull out my phone and check the time. "8:40.” He grunts at me, so eloquent so early Jean control yourself.   
"Did you sleep well?" I ask politely. BOOM politeness can’t escape it Jean. He grunts again, but he actually accompanies this with a small wave ‘you?' as he’s silently returned the question. He laces his fingers around the mug and smiles at it. I chuckle at his attempt at human contact.   
"I slept pretty well too." He lazily looks at me as I sip my cup. "Ready for class?" He glances over at his bag, he pauses thinking and grunts again. Oh Jean you talker you. He picks up his mug and he moans, actually moans at the coffee this time. I laugh, I knew it! He raises an eyebrow at me.   
"Nothing, just you really like coffee." I improvise as he smirks at me. He then frowns a little bit as he drinks more. I examine his face as he focuses once more on his coffee.  
"Your black eyes are starting to go away..." He glances up meeting my eyes. Jena grunts again. Oh my goodness Jean how will I ever get you to stop talking? Seriously though Jean give me some kind of answer...  
"Coffee is my kryptonite, and really how so?" He asks in a bored voice I nod, a bit impressed he managed a full sentence. I can work with this...  
"Your black eyes have more yellow mixed in now like the blood is starting to spread out and go away...." I feel like crap about punching him still and talking about it brings it all back. Shit why did I have to punch him. That was stupid of me. Why couldn’t I have done something else? Jean speaks up pulling me from my thoughts.  
"Wow you really do." He nods as he says this looking serious, startling me. Shoot did I say that out loud?   
"Do what?" I ask, he looks up at me and smirks.  
"Worry and sport freckles." he deadpans. I laugh at him. Ah using my own lines against me. Touché Jean. It settles into a soft comfortable silence. I sip my coffee, and for once I’m not worried about saying anything. Or being polite. I wonder why? Is it because Jean is nice without being polite? I usually try and make the other person feel comfortable but Jean gives off a soothing vibe. Although if I ever said that to Eren he probably would scoff at me. I get pulled form my thought at a flicker of movement form Jean. He’s pulling on the bottom of the bar in his left ear, looking down at his coffee. Dose it still hurt? Did it hurt when he got it? How long has he had it? I clear my throat.  
"We should head out..." I watch as he spins the little bar. What happens if he walks by a magnet*? Would he get stuck to it? What about a fridge magnet? Has he gotten stuck to the front a fridge?  
"Want one babe?" He smirks at me and I feel my face flush. I quickly stand and grab my bag. Relax Marco! He didn’t mean it like that! He wasn't flirting!! It was just a smart comment at my staring. He stands grabbing his bag. I notice his sunglasses and grab them as we head out (after I rinse out our cups) he looked like he wanted to hide his black eyes yesterday so he might want these still. Jean locks the door and I avoid looking at him directly. I don’t say anything as we walk down the stairs, scared of saying something after getting so flustered from just a comment. I hold out the sunglasses to Jean but he doesn’t pay attention to them. He is too busy pulling out his phone and messes with it a bit before putting it away. I put the sunglasses in a side pocket of my bag, ill hand them to him later then. He groans and I look over at him. Something on his phone? Or did he want the sunglasses now? I shrug when he doesn’t say anything, maybe not? We enter the lobby and Hanji looks up at us. Well they focus on Jean mostly, then they glance over meeting my eyes. Hanji smiles. ......eh?  
"MY BABBIES!!! OH SWEET FRECKLED JESUS!!!" Hanji starts kissing their hands then blowing them at us...well towards Jean mostly. Jean who’s frozen until-  
"One landed...YEEEAAAAAH I WIN!!! I WIN!!!" they sound shocked at first and then they start yelling again. Jean starts to scrub his cheek like he’s actually gotten hit by a flying kiss. I bust out laughing so hard that I can’t really stand or walk correctly. THAT’S WAY TOO FUNNY!! WHEN DID THEY START TO DO THAT!??! Jean looks pissed as he drags me outside. He drops my arm like it’s a hot potato as I finish laughing. He pauses and we wait awkwardly for a few seconds as I clam down.  
"Um my first class is in Pixis Hall..." He scratches the back of his head “so um yeah...bye?" He looks up at me and I smile. I'll let him head over first as it appears he doesn’t realize we have the same class first (well my third) .....I hadn’t realized it either until I had looked at his class line up. I can’t make him feel cornered the first day we become friends now can we?  
"Have a good class Jean, I’ll see you later." He nods and gives be a little wave. It’s so cute because he looks uncomfortable with the gesture. I sigh as Jean turns away and I pull out the copy of his schedule from my pocket.....do I toss it? I smile to myself as He walks away. No...I’ll keep it. Might come in handy. Heh. I slowly trail after Jean so I don’t catch up to him. He detours over to the Art wing. Oh he might be checking on his stuff for the gallery? I head over to Ms. Petra's class. He'll make it here eventually. I had felt really stupid when I had first looked at his class line up. We actually have several class together. I wonder why I had not noticed him before. I smack my forehead as I remember that Connie had asked if the dorm was safe, I shoot him back an all clear msg. I pause at the vending machine just past Ms. Petra's class. It’s the only one what sells those little limited edition strawberry cupcake things that yams likes. I have to bump the machine when it eats my dollar at first, after a bit of 'ruff love' it coughs up the prize. I sigh and remind myself to tell the office about the iffy vending. I see Jean slip inside the door and hurry back. I’m not staking him(today)….I just want to make it seem like I hadn’t realized we have the same class. I don’t even believe myself… I catch the last bit of Ms. Petra's question.  
"-st Jean are you ok?" Oh ya that’s right he does look horrible.....with his black eyes. That I gave him…..  
"Yeah...I just um...yeah I’m ok." He scratches the back of his head. I jump in pulling out his sunglasses.   
"Oh yeah I grabbed them on our way out." He looks up and me and stares open mouthed. "Here" I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face at his flabbergasted expression. He about snatches them from me and slides them on.  
"I knew you stalked me..." He steps back and I open my mouth to protest, but Ms. Petra cuts me off with a laugh.  
"You guys are friends and you didn’t know you had the same class?" Jean looks over at her then swings back my way, I don’t have any other answer to that other than a shrug. He turns abruptly and starts to stalk back to a seat. I follow after him and he glances back at me as he gets to a seat sitting in it, I pause at my usual seat, two seat ahead of where he is, I slide off my bag. Ms. Petra laughs harder. And I’m sure Jean is glaring behind his giant shades.  
"No fucking way." He groans, setting his head on the half desk attached to the chair. "You sat right there?" I flush and Ms. Petra laughs. I glance over at her and tilt my head asking if it’s ok to move. She nods over her giggles. Jean’s head is still down as I take a seat next to him. He doesn’t lift this head until I start to get comfortable. He just looks at me.  
"Might as well since we have the same class?" I pull out my best pleading look. Please don’t tell me to move Jean... He shrugs at me.  
"Whatever." I smile at him. I’m exceedingly happy and I’m not sure why. He sighs and unzips his bag pulling out a notebook. Is he mad? I look over at him. No he’s smiling. It’s little but it's there. Almost like he’s not aware he’s smiling. I bite my lip to stop myself from slipping back into a huge grin.

 

^^^^^^^^

 

12:04pm I put my books away in my bag and look up to see Jean glance up at me. Our eyes meet and he looks down really quick. I smile anyway. Every time we had caught each other eyes I would smile back at him, as he kept that little smile the whole class. In fact, a few times he glanced up at me almost to make sure I was still there, I think? It’s a big ego boost either way. And add on just knowing that me sitting next to him made him happy, again I think…. He gets his stuff together faster than me and he stands up stretching. He pauses next to his desk waiting for me and I have to stifle another wide grin. We walk out the door together and I get an idea. I pull out his schedule checking it. He doesn’t have a class until 2. Ok!   
"What is that?" he asks. I almost drop the wrinkled paper and I panic slightly.  
"Oh ya, know... a schedule." I blush, shoot he caught me. It’s not like I’m going to tell him it's his!  
"Wow really Marco? Do you still not know your classes?" He smirks at me and I feel my blush deepen and I shrug grinning at him to hide my embarrassment. Jean pops his headphones in and starts to walk down the hall, towards the art wing. I clear my throat. It’s now or never, and it’s not a date....I go and grab food with friends all the time. He looks back at be startled.  
"h-hey wanna get some coffee? “ Shoot I stuttered. He glances back toward the art wing and turns back to me nodding. We walk out and I hold the door for him. He smiles. Dang it Marco he’s not going to break!  
"Thank you Alfred." He gives me a small nod and I grin back.  
"You’re welcome Master Bruce." He turns tome sharply and my grins slips wider. He snorts at me but I can tell he thinks it was funny. We start walking down the sidewalk.  
"Sooooo....." he pauses like he's not sure what he wants to say "how long do you have before your next class?" oh that’s right he doesn’t know my schedule. That’s right Marco not everyone is a stalker like you...I really have to hang out with Reiner less. I’m getting too salty; I feel like maybe I should ease up on the amount of sass I’m allowing to slip into my inner monologue. I make a deal with myself to be more positive and answer jean’s question.  
"Hmm todays Tuesday, I go to work next and I start at 1." He looks surprised at that.  
"You work and go to school?" I nod, shifting my book bag.  
"Yeah just part time at the coffee shop." He raises an eyebrow at me (the one on campus is silent question..). I roll my eyes at his unasked question. "Yes the one on campus, it’s part of the reason why coffee runs in my veins." I can see him turning a bit green with envy.   
"Every student has their eyes set on working there I even applied. You lucky bastard..." He lightly shoves elbow at me as I chuckle at him. He grumbles and I look over at him. He glances up at me, and I look forward smiling. We arrive at the 'Corps' and I open the door again for him, letting him enter in first. He walks past me with a small smirk. Oh so cheeky! It’s because I’m being polite Jean! Little two toned cat...He looks at the menu, and seems a bit lost. I wait a little bit then I ask him, feeling like he’s unsure of what to order.  
"Know what you want?" as I step up next to him.   
"Pick for me?" he asks, I give him a small nod and step up to the counter. I get the feeling he’s not picky. And that why it’s hard for him to choose.  
"Oh hey Hans. How’s your shift going today?" Jean steps up and eyeballs the muffins behind the glass.  
"Oh not too bad, Marco. Nothing really crazy...." he glances at Jean. “What can I get you?"  
"Hmmm give us two Café’ Mocha with Raspberry."  
"It’s a good thing you work today...we might get by with only a few good people with everyone packing for the fall break. We don’t really need any extra people as its kinda slow, only our hardcore customers are coming in today...” He ring our coffee up at the register. “and your total is 8.57$" He gave the employee discount…huh nice! Jean jumps up and whips out his wallet, and before I could say anything he’s already paid for it.  
"You didn’t have to pay for mine too. Here let my pay you back!" I pull out some cash and Jean just glares at me a clear msg... 'Don’t even think about it.' I stop and slowly puts my wallet back in my pocket. I'll find another way to pay him back...why would he pay for it?   
"Keep the change." the Hans nods, after a quick glance at me and he starts making our coffees, Jean turns away from the counter looking around at the seats. "Booth or table?" I shrug at his question and he decides anyway. "Booth it is." He walks over to an empty one and I trail after him sitting across from him. We both kind of sit there relaxing without having to listen to a lecture. Hans runs the coffees over himself I smile up at him as he sets them down. He’s not supposed to leave the Counter when he’s stationed there. But Hans tends to break a few rules on slow days. Being friends with Miss. Mikasa, she doesn’t seem to mind when he does that.  
"Thank you." Hans’s smiles back at me and looks over at Jean again. Jean nods at him and turns to his coffee. Hans looks back over at me and dose a little thumbs up at me. Wait what? That’s an 'approve' signal. This isn't a date! I shake my head but he’s already walking away. Shoot. Oh I have to thank Jean still.  
"Thank you." He looks up at me and raises an eyebrow. "For buying." He waves it off.   
"It’s not a big deal. ‘Sides I didn’t know what to order and you helped with that." I open my mouth to protest but then close it. I gap a few more times and then decide it’s not important enough and just give up drinking my coffee. I smile when he watches at my reaction to the coffee. Gauging the coffee from my reaction, after I apparently approved he takes a sip. Did he doubt my coffee picking skills or Hans’ ability to make what I had picked?  
"Holy fuck." Jean mummers. I’m not sure if he meant to say it out loud or what. So I ask.  
"What?" He raises an eyebrow at me and I just ignores the fact that he said something. Or he didn’t realize he had said it out loud?  
"Nuthin." I say…he didn’t realize he had said it out loud then, I decide as he gives no reaction.  
“So what is this fucking creation of god called?"   
"Its Café’ Mocha with Raspberry." I smile at him and start to ask the friend developing questions. "So Jean, tell me a bit about yourself." I prop my chin on my hand and wait for his answer. He wraps his hands around his mug leaning over it a bit.   
"Hmmm..." he scratches his chin "umm...heh uh anything you wanna know? There’s not much to tell." He shrugs at me and I think hard about what I want to know. There’s so much it hard to decide, but I settle on one.  
"How did you meet Hiss?" He nods at me.   
"Her father is a business partner to my parents. Needless to say I was forced to go on play dates with a kid when I was 15. Tea parties, dress up, the whole shebang." I laugh at how nonchalant he tries to be but I can tell he has had a lot of fun with her. "I practically raised her." I nod getting that feeling too...he talks like Historia is his kid.   
"I get that feeling. How old is she?" I encourage sipping my coffee.  
"She just turned 6." I bob my head again, oh her and yams are close in age... "She seemed to take a liking to yams." He laughs. And I can see a bit more of his squishy peeking through.  
"Yeah yams talked about her for a long time." I revel, laughing as I think back on how animated she was over Historia....more so than the muffin man when she had explained everything that had happened the other day.  
"Ah kids are cute." I nod in agreement. I fidget for a little bit and try and decide if I should ask more... I decide to after he glances up at me.  
"So, can I ask about your parents business?" I say softly...he hasn’t mentioned them all that much. What I if asked the wrong thing?  
"Yeah, my parents own 'the safety of the Wall Law firm.' Historia's dad owns another law firm and bam business partners." He shrugs and I just stare at him.... what?!?! HIS PARENTS ARE LAWERS!  
"They own the law firm?" he nods like it’s no big deal. "Like the whole thing or just one place?" Once again he raises an eyebrow over his mug at me.  
"The whole thing. As in all of the places. Like they made the business." My jaw hits the floor. WHAT?!?!   
"What?"   
"B....b-but your...you...wha..." I sputter at him. THIS IS VERY BAD!!!  
"Cat got your tongue?" I sputter more and I feel my face flush. "What the fuck are you trying to say?" He glares at me.   
"You’re not going to sue me over the punch?" I squeak out and he loses it. Tosses his head back and just laughs. He ends up leaning back in the booth wiping his eyes he’s laughing to hard over it. I blush embarrassed at his reaction. Hey it’s not that weird!! I pretty much assaulted(attacked) the guy and he has an easy legal way to get even!! He finally stops after a bit and I’m still humiliated and left wondering why he would react like that.  
"Hell no, that would make me too much like me parents. Besides I’m not going to hide behind their name." I nod and fiddle with my cup calming down. Oh!  
"Makes sense." Jena is quiet while I think of more questions. Wait so his parents must be successful and all so why dose Jean give off the bad boy vibe? With his piercings and all? Can I ask? Oh does he have any that I haven’t seen? I fidget and force myself to thing about something other than picturing my new friend naked. Bad Marco...no! I clear my throat. "So can I ask about the piercings?" a nice safe question...nothing racy...  
"What about them?" He raises an eyebrow at me.....why doesn’t he have an eyebrow done? I mean he is very expressive with his eyebrows...it would look good I decide. I try and explain what I meant by that question.  
"Why you have them if your parents are so um, straight laced?" I fiddle with the handle of my cup avoiding his eyes as I elaborate, in a way I hope isn’t rude. I glance up.  
"Ah why I’m a rebel?" He rolls his eyes, "it started with my bar" he gestures to his left ear. Drawing my attention to his bar for a second time today. My mind once more drifts back to the magnet question. "And it went from there because my parents don't like them." I nod, ah ya that’s definitely a rebellion. I wonder what their reaction was. I look up as he grins...well it more like a leer if I’m honest with myself.  
"Want one?"   
"I-i-i um I don't know." I reach up and feel my ears...I don’t think I could. It wouldn’t look as good as Jeans. I would look like a dork. He smirks at me.  
"My treat." He winks at me. WAIT WHAT!?!? My face blazes and he blushed too. RELAX Marco HE DIDNT MEAN IT LIKE A FLIRTING THING. HES JUST JOKING WITH YOU!!!! OH GAWD HES REALLY GOOD AT WINKING! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING MARCO!! THINK OF SOMEHTINF ELSE!!! I lift my cup up and take a drink to hide my face. He buries his face him his hands groaning. See he regrets it! Told you Marco!  
"Oh my god sorry that was a habit, I do to Cit. sorry that way gay." I cough and choking on my coffee. OH GOD!! I AM GAY OH GOD!!!!! AAGHH I CANT BREATHE!! He peeks at me thru his fingers as I hit my chest and try to get my lungs clear of fluid. I finally get clean air and decide now or never...I clear my throat.  
"Uh, y-yeah gay..." I squeak out, and he freezes on the other side of the booth. OH GOD!! WHAT WAS THAT?!? THAT’S NOT BEING CLEAR MARCO!!!!  
"W-wait....are you...?" I can feel my face blush more and jeans face darkens too. "Sorry. I didn’t realize, and....god I’m so fucking insensitive." He whispers the last part at himself. I and pause...that didn’t sound like he was grossed out by it. "I’m so sorry, um that was weird?" He sinks down lower into his seat and sets his head on the table. He wraps his arms around his head hiding. It’s almost like a turtle hiding in his shell. I can see him freaking out on the other side of the table. He feels bad about the comment. He didn’t know I was gay, so it’s fine. The fact that he feels bad at making the comment after realizing that I could have been offended is enough to calm me down. I’m no longer embarrassed and I end up laughing at him shaking inside his shell.  
"n-no it’s ok, you didn’t know..... I am gay. But that isn’t important. Well it kind of is but still it’s not anything you should worry about. I mean it’s not like I go out and bang all kinds of guys. “I say as soothingly as I can, I’ve calmed down but my face is still feels a bit red.  
"But I-" I cut him off, he feels bad enough as it is.  
"No I’m just glad you didn’t have a bad reaction." He shrugs at me and I smile at him hoping to lessen any sting from any of my words. He speaks up after a pause, still hidden partly in his shell.  
"Nah I don’t care which hole you shove your dick in." I wince, and Jean blanches and tries to correct himself "um what I mean is I don't care what...uh...team you um catch for? I think it how it’s said? It’s some baseball term." I laugh a bit. Jena got it totally wrong. Catch for...well I mean there is pitching...and catching involved...but anyway.  
"I think the term is which team I bat for." I give him a small smile and Jean's face lights up again. I have trouble keeping my smile under control. His outward cocky attitude is easily broken. And once it is he has no idea how to handle it. I smile as he rubs his face with his hands and sighs loudly. He's scrambling for a way to make a subject change. Freaking out to the point that I’m scared he’s going to start ripping out his hair.   
"So uh, you said something about being in the gallery?" His look of utter relief is priceless.  
"Uh yeah. I have a spot for 4 paintings and a sculpture piece." he fiddles with his thumbs, avoiding my eyes. But he’s a lot more comfortable than he was a few seconds ago. So I push forward with this train of thought.  
"I hear you’re very good at drawing and painting." I lean forward some and resume my position from earlier; my chin propped up on my hand, elbow bracing against the table. He looks up actually meeting my eyes now.  
"Uh...yeah. But I left my sketch book for Mr. Smith to see, so I don’t have any to show you..."   
"Oh, it’s alright." I drop my gaze so he doesn’t feel pressured. Shoot let’s see- movement catches my eyes. I look over at Jean and he's pulling a napkin over to himself.  
"Hang on." He digs a pen out of his pocket. He clicks it and twists the napkin this way and that adding lines, I peek over but it hard to see, and after a bit I just end up watching jean. It’s almost enrapturing. His face softens and his eyes seem to glitter gold. Once in a while he nibbles on his bottom lip, catching one of his snake bites between his teeth. The hand holding the napkin down taps to some unheard song. He pauses and then resumes adding details. He nods, flips it around to face me and slides the picture over, drawing my attention back to the napkin**.  
"Here, sorry that this is all I can do for now." I look down and I’m blown away, a smile slips over my face. He drew yams, bunny hood, freckles and a little smile on her face. Calling him good is unfair, he’s amazing! I look up redirecting my smile at him.  
"This is really good!" He smiles back at me. I open my mouth-  
"I’m sorry to interrupt, but you’re going to be late Marco." Hans steps up leaning forward a bit. I gasp and glance over at the clock on the wall. 12:58 pm. SHOOT! I grab my backpack, the zipper chooses now of all times to catch on the chair cover and release itself. Everything spills out. Notebooks, papers, books and pens scatter across the floor.  
"Oh no!" I reach and try to grab everything. Jean jumps up from his seat and helps, scooping papers and books off the floor. Hans grabs a few straying pens and a notebook that tried to make a run for it. I glance up at jean as he hands me everything he’s rescued.  
"SORRY! i-i'll um make it up too you! i-i i gotta go!"   
"Its fine freckles," he waves off my apology and I know I’m blushing and this is the most embarrassing moment of my life. Hans hands me what he's saved and I almost rip the zipper thru a book in my haste to it closed so I’m not late. I wave over my shoulder, tripping over tables and chairs and I dash to the back. I bust thru the door in the back and almost pop the front off of my locker tossing it open. I shed my jacket and shirt tossing by stuff in. I pull out my shirt and apron, tying it as I zip back out front. I jump behind the counter and clock in. I take my place behind the counter and straighten stuff up at my station. I glance up where Jean was. I’m shocked to see him still there. Hans nods and him, he nods back looking puzzled. Hans walks over to the counter and with his back to jean he gives me a thumbs up…wait WHAT?! Don’t tell me that was an approval thinking this was a date?!?  
“Good pick” He mutters and the walks to the back. THIS WAS NOT A DATE! DON’T GIVE THE BRO APPROVAL OVER THIS!!!   
“WAIT HANS!!” I shout back at him. But I’m stuck at the counter, I groan and put my face in my hands. NONONONO THAT’S TOTALLY WRONG HANS!! I’m sure my face is scarlet. First my bag exploded and then Hans mistakes a new friend as a date…I hear what sounds like Jean laughing and I look up to see Him grabbing our cups. He brings them over to me, I smile at him and he smiles back.  
"I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with the cups." I nod at him and grab the cups.   
"i-its ok." I set them in my dirty tub to be taken to the back in a bit. I sigh before I turn back to tell him. I have to tell him to get any misunderstandings cleared now. Before it gets out of hand. Shoot how to I tell them, oh ya by the way my coworker has a big mouth so be prepared for people to think we were on a date? Aghh this is never going to work. As I turn around and Hans zips out from the back headed to the door. He turns as he walks clicking his tongue and snapping his hands as he points at us each with a hand.  
“You kids ‘be safe’!” He winks at us. Ah! Hans don’t say that! WERE NOT HAVING SEX WERE NOT EVEN DATING!! THERE IS NOTHING TO ‘be safe’ ABOUT!!  
“HANS WAIT ITS NOT-!! WERE NO-” but he is out the door heedless of my yelling or anything I’m trying to say. I smack my forehead and my blush returned full force. I turn to explain to Jean but a shrill beeping noise cuts in. He pulls out his phone and glares at it. His top lip seems to curl up in disgust and he quickly hits a button silencing the phone. He squeezes his phone in his hand. Jean? I lean forward to say something when a customer walks in and Jean jerks his head up at me. I tilt my head, confused. Who would make Jean so mad? Why?   
"I-uh s-sorry." He clears his throat. "Sorry, um have a good shift." I nod at Jean but I’m still worried. Who Could cause a reaction like that? Jean turns around and quickly leaves without looking back. I feel a bit let down but it quickly passes as I think back to how upset he looked a few seconds ago. Who called Jean? The customer who had walked in was Professor Levi once more smothered in coats and scarfs, and he taps the counter roughly to snap my attention back to him.  
“Hey quit making goo-goo eyes at your boyfriend I want a coffee.” He deadpans. I blush and sputter. BOYFRIEND?!?!?  
“h-hes not my-“ he cuts me off.  
“I don’t care who you fuck Bodt, I just want my coffee.” I drop my eyes at his fierce expression.  
“What can I get you sir?” Don’t make Professor Levi mad. Don’t make Professor Levi mad. It repeats like a mantra in the back of my mind.  
“An espresso. Black. Make it a double.” I nod and get his coffee ready. Obviously, no longer as rushed for his coffee now that I was making it (and much to my surprise) he still continues with the starting subject.  
“Didn’t think the Saint actually fucked anyone.” I can feel my face getting red.  
“P-Professor! I dont-“ he cuts me off and I see Miss Mikasa step behind the counter.  
“Oh so you’re the bottom?” My face feels like it’s going to catch on fire and Miss Mikasa steps up slamming a hand on the counter in front of me. She nudges me out of his path.  
“Harassing.” She states monotone at him as I finish making his coffee.  
“Conversing” he shoots back just as monotone as her. I set the cup on the counter as her face darkens and I ring it up. If it’s a rule to not make Professor Levi mad then it’s a LAW to not make Miss Mikasa mad.  
“$4.34, please…” I put in meekly. Levi slams a five on the counter without looking at me. I hand him his change and slide his coffee over at him. He grabs his coffee. He steps back finally looking and ‘tch’d at me on his way out. Miss Mikasa dose the same thing after him. Oh Gosh!  
“Thank you Miss Mikasa..?” I say as she heads back to her office in the back. She usually only comes up here if it’s too much to handle…it was embarrassing but I could have handled it.  
“Asshole.” She mutters as a way of explanation. Oh maybe she just doesn’t like Professor Levi? I know they’re both professors and they work together sometimes?? So maybe that’s it? I shake my head and turn back to my station. Calm down Marco... 

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

I clock out a few minutes before 5pm. It was a slow shift. Exactly like Hans had predicted. A lot of people who were heading home for the fall break didn’t stop by. The traffic outside was terrible but inside the shop was almost dead. I had yawned at a few points, and had to pinch myself to keep awake. I had left my phone in my bag (like we suppose too) so I was unaware of the chaos that awaited me upon pulling it out after my shift.

(blndCoconut)- hey, Reiner isn’t back yet with Ymir, I’m going to go ahead to the library.-  
(Rei)- (o.O)? wut u no mean bk yet cocont?-  
(blndCoconut)- Oh! Sorry this was on the group text? Anyway, you’re not back yet. So I’m heading to the library.-  
(rei)-(O-O) uhhno bk yet?-   
(blndCoconut)- Reiner, you were picking up Ymir today right?-  
(rei)-……..uh ya. Butt got jean 2 do 4 me ;D-  
(blndCoconut)-Reiner, they haven’t made it back to the Dorm.-  
(rei) –any1 Seen jean??? (o.O)????  
(shinnydome) –WUT??..??  
(eren here)-YOU LET HRSFC PICK HER UP?!?!-  
(blndCoconut)- Eren, please do not yell.-  
(eren here)-WUT?? IM NOYELLLING?-  
(Berty)-Yams?-  
(potatogirl)-ehh?? Noo seen jen?  
(eld)-whats wrong?-  
(shinnydome)-red past msgs…-  
(Eren here)- ….MOMSAYS HRSFACE PICK HER UP.  
(eld) -WHERE ARE THEY?-  
(WeTheHanji)- Front Desk will be on the lookout. We will sound the screeching monkeys as soon as we see them.-  
(potatogirl)- ehhhhh??? Imma look fior them!!!  
(eren here) –WHOS GONNA TELL MARCO?-  
(blndCoconut)- Eren, this is the group chat. Macro is getting these meassages, he will be unable to read them until he clocks off though. Also please remove your ‘caps’ lock-  
(AnnieBBI) -where is Yams?-  
(AnnieBBI)- reiner?-  
(rei)- jen nice its kk (^-^) (;D)-  
(eld)- no one panic. Everyone call around, look.-

I don’t read anymore of the texts, I run out leaving on my uniform. As I zip out I’m having a panic attack. WHERE ARE THEY?!?! I flat out sprint the entire way to the dorm, almost getting hit by a few cars on my way in. The scenery passes in a blur. PLEASE BE OK!!! JEAN!! YMIR!! My bag catches on the door on my way in, causing Hanji to look up at me. I don’t even pause my pace, I just call out.  
“ANY?-“ but Hanji cut me off.  
“No, sign yet! But its going to be o-“ I don’t wait for Hanji to finish I just continue up to dorm 3. I bust in and everyone looks up at me. I’m panicking and almost hyperventilating. Eld jumps over at the look on my face. NO SIGN. NO SIGN. WHERE ARE THEY?!?  
“Marco calm down! Its ok! Jean takes care of Historia all the time!” Eld tries to calm me down. His boyfriend Gunther trails after him nodding.  
“Didn’t we decide he’s really good with kids?!?”   
“No Connie its not about that-“ Eren cuts me off…  
“ya calm down Marco!!” I’m not pissed an if you guys would let me finish talking.  
“you don’t un-“Gunther cuts me of this time. It’s really upsetting with no one letting me finish.  
“he brings her in all the time to my work! He’s really good with kids! I swear it!!” Gunther’s conformation made me pause. I’m not worried about jean taking care of yams!!  
“its ok!! He’s not gonna hurt her!!”   
“I KNOW HES A GOOD GUY!! IM WORRIED ABOUT THEM BOTH!” I yell over everyone. They quiet down and let me take a couple of breaths.   
“oh.” Eren sums up everyone’s faces perfectly. I would laugh if I wasn’t worried, they were expecting me to be mad at Jean? Its gonna take a lot more than that to break the trust Jean’s awkward side instills. He would be too guilty if anything happened to Yams. This I was sure of.  
“when was the last time anyone saw Jean or yams or both?” I ask the mini crowd squished into the dorm Everyone turns to Bert and Reiner. Reiner looks very sheepish.  
“uh I saw Jean at (I’m not sure about the time)..in front of Yam’s school….. .I saw Bert and sent Jean on ahead to pick her up..…I saw him go in.” he trails off rubbing the back of his neck and Bert sweats a lot one hand clutching Reiner’s sleeve. Reiner looks over at Eren.  
“Mom says she left with him and they were both smiling and were getting along really well....” Eren mumbles. Armin pipes up.  
“well any ideas on where they could have gone?” Everyone hmmm and thinks.  
“What about a snack or something?” Offers Sasha. Of course Sasha would offer up food.  
Armin thinks about it and opens his mouth and ‘Little Apple***’ cuts him off. My phone is ringing, screaming out the metal song. I pull it out answering, everyone leans forward to hear.  
“They just walked in.” Hanji’s voice calls out thru my small speaker. My feet are moving before my brain fully registers what Hanji said. Everyone follows after like wave of worry. We crash into the lobby and I see Jean standing there Yams in his arms, they both look confused. It clicks somewhere in my mind that Jean doesn’t have his leather coat on, yams dose.  
"JEAN!" I shout at him, over joyed and extremely relieved that they are both fine. Everyone surrounds the pair.   
"ma-" Jean tries to answer but he’s cut off as everyone starts to shout at once.   
"WHERE WERE YOU?" Jean almost leans into Yams.  
"WHY WERE YOU NOT BACK SOONER?" His eyes open wide.  
"WHY IS YAMS FACE RED?"  
"i-" he tries again and is cut off again.  
"WHY DIDNT YOU CALL US?" Jean’s breathing kind of fast..?  
"WHY WERE YOU GONE?"  
"WHERE WERE YOU?" He ducks his head and yams looks closer at him.  
"WHY DIDNT YOU CALL?" His color is gone and he’s sweating a lot.   
"HOW COME YOU TOOK TO LONG?" He’s hyperventilating!!  
"WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO?" Wait you guys!! Give him space!!  
"WE WERE SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!" His face goes lax and his legs buckle…OH SHOOT HE FAINTING!! I lean forward to catch him as Yams yells out over everyone.  
"WHOA BACK OFF!!!WE NEED AIR PEOPLE!!! My hands slip around them both. Yams grabs on to each of us like a monkey as Jean’s grip slackens. Jean falls slack into my arms. At yam’s command everyone had backed up but they all had reached forward to help catch him once they realized what was going on. We all end up sitting on the ground Jean and yams clutched by multiple hands but mostly both cradled in my arms. I sigh as everyone relaxes a bit. Yams wiggles out of my (and jean’ lax) grip. Annie picks her up. Everyone lets go slowly. I keep ahold of Jean and stay sitting. Yams still waves people back with her hands.  
“huh.” Comments Eren, once more summing up everyone’s faces. I turn Jean, changing his position in my arms from on his side to on his back; so he can breathe clearer. His color looks slightly better already.  
“Didn’t take him for a fainter,” observes Connie.  
“Of course it was right into his boyfriend’s arms eh Marco?” I feel my face flush at Reiner’s suggestive tone.  
“Were not going out..” I say for what feels like the 100th time.   
“what?!?” everyone shouts over me of course…I sigh rolling my eyes.  
“Hans says he saw Marco on a date with Jean.” He gossips. “Hans approves, Jean paid and was actually smiling at Marco. Apparently they were both blushing a lot.” Ughh please just listen to me… ENGLISH DOSE ANYONE SPEAK IT!?!? They all turn and look back at me.   
“We got a cup of coffee before my shift. It was NOT a date. We’re NOT going out.” I say looking pointedly at the main gossips, Reiner and Hanji. Eren scoffs.  
“of course not your too good for him.” I sigh as this causes a round of nods and agreements.  
“Ya!” confirms Armin, I notice his camera lowering like he had just taken a picture…when did he grab it?  
“Tots! Besides Marco’s nice to everyone!” Chimes Connie.  
“yep!” says yams, nodding at Connie. “Everyone!” I would have smacked my forehead as everyone then started to debated my holy solo status, if Jean wasn’t occupying my lap and hands. I don’t pay any attention to them. I just sigh and check on Jean. His eyelashes flutter over his bruises. Hanji sees it the same time I do and points it out shrilly.  
“HE AWAKENS!!!” They all stop talking and lean forward. Hanji starts to wave them back and everyone takes a step back. But they still pay close attention to Jean’s movements. His eyes flicker open.

^^^^^^^^^Yummy Bun Notes^^^^^

Whoop! I never figured Jean to be a fainter ether but Meats wrote it in and it was beautiful! I fell (heh like Jean into Marcos arms) in love with the scene!! Be patient sweet coffee addicts their time will come!! On a super positive note!! I got a new laptop (well it’s more like a tablet/laptop) and now the suicidal tendencies(and long heart throbbing goodbye letters its written me multiple times in the forms of Error screens) of my old laptop no longer causes us issues (or delays). So things should move much smoother technology wise, the only possible delays could be writing (or working weird shifts) related..  
*You CAN get magnetized when you have piercings…example an industrial bar..but it depends on the metal it’s made out of. So it’s rare ..but it can happen, also some types of metal wont set off metal detectors (none of mine set any off and all of mine are steel.).  
**You can see the picture of Yams on our tumbler....YmmuMeatBun..were still trying to figure out how this works....(WTF TECH...)and we will try to follow tags (#coffeepleasejean and #coffeepleasemarco)..I don't know...but well be posting sketches of things and what not...eh... even if we are the ages that were apparently expected to know how to work tumbler and crap we no know how. (eh...our blog has the same name as our Archive username).   
***the song Marco’s phone plays is ‘Little Apple’ the cover by Pellek (original by Chopstick Brothers) I love his cover. (I’m still so obsessed with the original as well but I really like his metal version!! I like stuff gritty music-wise). That’s my jam! (to quote something Meats says)  
We hope you join us for another cup of coffee next time!


	8. I apologize!

We won't be posting til after Halloween! We are really sorry about this but our work got busy and won't have to much time to post :( we will post after. We apologize for this :( we aren't giving up on the story we just are to buisy at the time.

Have a great day!! Look forward to when we post again.

**Author's Note:**

> ^^^^^ YummyBun Notes^^^^  
> Hey this is YummyBuns! Of the YummyMeatBuns Duo. I’m writing Marco's side "Two Cubes, please!" and YummyMeat is writing Jean's side "Three cubes". (You can read Jeans side here! [**Three Sugars.** ) This is our first fan fiction. I never figured I would actually write one. What do you know? Here it is our caffeine fueled crazy brain child. Anything sounds good with enough coffee, even making Ymir 7 and calling her Yams. So damn cute it’s going to give you cavities, wait till you get a load of Cit-Cat. We plan to have one full chapter between what’s posted and what we're writing so if someone gets sick we don’t get behind.(cough like me cough) During the writing of this I actually had a cold, so Yams I feel your pain! The snot struggle is real. Please come back for another cup of coffee!](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4825913)


End file.
